New Jersey coach Pat Burns is great full to the fans, players, and team and League officials that have supported him in his fight against cancer.

Burns progressing in cancer fight
By John McGourty | NHL.com
Oct. 27, 2004

New Jersey Devils coach Pat Burns is making progress in his battle against colon cancer and wants to tell his friends, both in and out of hockey, that he's feeling a lot better. And while he's not quite ready to resume riding his beloved Harley-Davidson, Burns knows he's in better shape now than when he was diagnosed just before the Stanley Cup Playoffs last spring.

Burns said he has been buoyed by the many calls, cards and e-mails he's received from players, fans, fellow coaches and other people throughout the hockey community. But, he said, while he's feeling better and wants people to know that, he's not yet ready for a press conference or a deluge of media calls so he's releasing the information through the NHL's website.

"I had colon surgery and a resection, rather than a colostomy, so that was very fortunate," Burns said from his home in Laconia, New Hampshire. "I'm still not out of the woods. I've been going through the process of chemotherapy and that's very difficult. Anybody who has been through this knows and if you haven't, you just don't know. It is very physically and emotionally draining. The ups and downs of this sickness are amazing.

"My treatments ended this week. I'll continue to see the doctor and they'll be keeping a close eye on me for a year, anyway."

Burns said he got through his ordeal by getting tremendous care from the doctors and staff at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J., and with the help of former NHL referee Paul Stewart, a cancer survivor and co-chair of the NHL's Hockey Fights Cancer charity.

"The people at Saint Barnabas were fantastic," Burns said. "They understood my situation, who and where I was at that time. Mark Gilder, the surgeon, and the oncologist, Michael Scoppetuolo, kept me constantly aware of my condition and the course of treatment. Cancer is a funny thing. It's not just physically draining, but it's also tough mentally.

"The support I got from people in the NHL was really important. I got calls from all the coaches and GMs and I also got about 3,000 e-mails from fans, along with hundreds of cards. That kept me going and helped me get through this situation.

"Paul Stewart kept up a stream of steady e-mails and calls. He told me what to expect at every turn and he was right on all the time. He was like a big brother to me all through this time. I owe a lot to Paul Stewart. He always finds a way to put humor in everything.

"This shows how the NHL is one big family. I really reflected on that. I got calls from ex-players and cards from referees. Sometimes, when we're busy, we overlook how connected we all are."

Burns was preparing for a defense of the Stanley Cup that the Devils won in 2003 when he got the devastating news late last March. He reported his condition to Devils' CEO/President/GM Lou Lamoriello and said he could be available for the first round of the playoffs, but that was all. Unfortunately for the Devils and their fans, New Jersey was eliminated in the first round. Burns then began his cancer treatment.

"Gary Bettman called me and I got letters from him and a lot of people at the NHL. I thought it was tremendous to hear from him," Burns said. "Lou Lamoriello is still standing by me, more than ever. We've been in constant contact. Some people speculated I wouldn't be back, but Lou said you are still the coach of the Devils and that helps a lot to take pressure and stress off. A lot of people don't know the real Lou. He's a very caring man and very honest. Yes, he's a stern businessman and there's nothing wrong with that. There's no hidden agenda when you work for Lou."

Burns said that in addition to his medical problem, his wife also underwent surgery this year and Hurricane Charlie damaged their home in Florida. He's traveling to New Jersey this week for more medical testing, then they're heading to Florida to fix the house damage, which he said is limited to exterior problems.

"As much as 2003 was great, winning the Stanley Cup, I know now that when you're on top of the hill, you can get kicked right off the hill. You begin to realize a lot of things. It's been a great career and a lot of fun. It's difficult to say one thing is more fun than others. I've met nothing but good people in each place I've worked.

"In Montreal, I grew up there and that's where I started coaching in the NHL. That was a big thing for me, having watched the Canadiens when I was a kid growing up. When I stepped out on the bench and looked up at all the banners, it was instant pressure right away. Then I went to work for Cliff Fletcher in Toronto, a great hockey city with great fans. We had some success there. We were one game away from going to the Stanley Cup against Montreal and that would have been great, but Wayne Gretzky evidently had other ideas. Just being around Cliff Fletcher was fun and we still talk on a regular basis. He's been checking up on me. He was a very influential part of my career.

"I worked for Harry Sinden in Boston and that was great because he was also a coach. He knew the game. I still live in the area. I love New England and everyone up here is excited about the Red Sox. The fans in Boston are incredible. It hurt to leave Boston. I didn't want to, but in our business, sometimes you have no choice. I was very fortunate after that. Lou Lamoriello came up and discussed the situation with me. Other teams were interested, but I knew Lou for years, through Serge Savard, what kind of guy he is, a stand-up guy. I jumped into the Devils' situation. Some people scratched their heads, but winning the Stanley Cup was a big win for me."

Burns said he'll never forget how difficult winning the Stanley Cup was. The media and fans predicted an easy victory over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, but the series went seven exciting games.

"Even the players who had won before said it was the hardest Cup they had to win," Burns said. "They really felt they worked for it, that things came easier in the earlier ones. We had to go to Ottawa and win to get into the Finals. We had to go seven games with Anaheim. The players gave their all. You could see it in their faces, in their eyes. They were determined to win.

"One of my favorite memories is Ken Daneyko dressing for Game 7. Everybody was surprised. I felt he would bring something we needed in that particular game. The fans went crazy when he went on the ice. It was hard to explain to Oleg Tverdovsky, but when you win, it's easier. I was glad for Kenny and also glad for team. Ken was well liked in the dressing room and by the fans. He was a real character player and we had a lot of character on that team.

"The main character comes from Lou. He is the glue in that organization. I found that out pretty quickly. He runs it like a business and you like that as a coach. It takes pressure off you. When we won the Stanley Cup, he didn't stay long for the festivities. He shook everyone's hand and was back to work on Monday morning."

So, when can we expect to see Pat Burns back to work?

"What we're going through right now, the lockout, is difficult for the players, the fans and ownership," Burns said. "And, a lot of people don't understand it. It's like hockey in that offense is skill and fun and defense is hard work. Running an NHL team is fun, but it's also hard work. People have to understand that it's very difficult on the business end. Both parties have to get together sooner rather than later. I think Gary Bettman is doing a tremendous job. He knows what he's doing and he's prepared. He's a leader. Let's hope we can get the players back as soon as possible."