Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Evening Line

07/24/2013 at 6:42pm EDT

You have to go outside hockey, in fact, to find a similar figure.

Sandy Koufax had four seasons when he might have been the greatest pitcher who ever lived. Then he was gone.

Gale Sayers had three seasons when he was the most exciting running back in NFL history. Then he was gone.

Like Bure, their talent was transcendent. Like Bure, there is something sad and incomplete about their careers.

The difference, of course, is the controversy that surrounded Bure at the end of his Canucks’ years, and there remains something troubling about the way the final act played out here. You can also ask how hard the Canucks would have tried to repatriate Bure if he hadn’t been a former client of GM Mike Gillis and a new friend of owner Francesco Aquilini.

-Ed Willes of the Vancouver Province on Pavel Bure, where you can read more about Bure's days in Vancouver.

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at [email protected]

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