from Eric Francis of Sportsnet,

SPORTSNET: What did you learn about Sid you didn’t know?

BRIAN BURKE: We have the best practice habits of any team in the NHL, and he drives all that.

Our practices are high-tempo, difficult practices with thoughtful drills and the guys really work hard. Mike Sullivan does a great job, but Sid drives it.

Can we assume your early assessment of the Penguins is that the team isn’t ready to rebuild just yet?

Correct. This group is under contract for another year and we’re going to keep seeing what we can do. We believe in the group.

We’ve made the playoffs 15 straight years. We won two Cups - five and four years ago - and then we were eliminated in the first round the last three years. We’ve got to reverse that trend.

What was the biggest adjustment to getting back into management?

The part that was different was we got right back into it – I signed my deal on a Thursday and went to Pittsburgh on a Sunday or Monday and we were right in the bubble.

No bars, no restaurants or going out. We’d play the games, fly home and it was regimented and no social life at all.

I actually had a hard time spending time with my players, which I love to do.

It’s going to be a lot more fun now that things are opening up.

continued, includes more than just Penguins...