My influences: Alex Burrows

MONTREAL - From childhood to adulthood, many people can have a positive impact on our lives and leave a mark on the person we are today.

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For Alex Burrows, the Canadiens assistant coach draws inspiration from his parents, former teammates in Vancouver, and coaches he's played for in the NHL.

My parents, Carole and Rodney
Growing up, my parents instilled many values in me, like having a good work ethic and the importance of respecting people the way you'd want to be respected. These values guided me throughout my career.

Trevor Linden
Trevor Linden was my childhood idol because he played for the Canadiens and because of his career. When we were teammates at the start of my NHL career, I could see the way he respected everybody. He had a certain aura because he was Trevor Linden. He never left anyone out and made everyone feel like they were a part of the team. He took care of everyone.

Daniel and Henrik Sedin
The Sedin twins also left an impression on me from the way they treated people to their work ethic and preparation. They were never satisfied, always wanted to improve and were ready to help their teammates.

Marc Crawford
Now that I'm a coach, I realize that I've played for a lot of good ones at the start of my career. Marc Crawford was my first NHL coach. He was passionate about hockey and taught me the importance of small details.

Alain Vigneault
Alain Vigneault was also an incredible coach for me. He gave me many chances, but also taught me that a hockey career is very short. You have to do whatever you can to try to be the best you can be every day, to win each day and push your limits.

John Tortorella
John Tortorella said cutting corners was not the right thing to do. He doesn't beat around the bush. It's always black and white and you know exactly where you stand with Torts. The stories from when I played for him... that's just how he was. He is so passionate and wants players to succeed. It's part of his character and I know that guys are used to it. They know how he is and that he cares.