Burke talks Bobrovsky, conference finals on 'NHL @TheRink' podcast

Brian Burke had a quick answer when asked if he thought Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had it in him to be as good in the Stanley Cup Playoffs as he has been.

"No, and anyone who says they did is lying," the longtime NHL executive said during an appearance on the "NHL @TheRink" podcast Wednesday.

Burke elaborated on why he is so surprised that Bobrovsky is 11-2 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .935 save percentage in 13 games during the playoffs for Florida, which reached the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final at FLA Live Arena on Wednesday.

"This guy has been average since the last couple of years and his great performances in Columbus seems like days gone by," Burke said during an interview with co-hosts Dan Rosen and Shawn P. Roarke. "The fact of the matter is he is outstanding right now. It's not just that he's stopping the puck. He reminds me of Carey Price in his prime. He is so cool and unruffled by what is happening. He's economical. He's calm. He's moving quietly. He's not making big kick saves. Everything is hitting him because he's getting in the right place."

Burke joined the podcast to share some opinions on the conference finals and promote his new role as a studio analyst on NHL Network. He made his debut on "NHL Tonight" on Wednesday.

He spoke specifically about the Vegas Golden Knights' size on defense and how it has made a big difference for them in the playoffs, and about Vegas goalie Adin Hill playing above expectations, which clearly is good for the Golden Knights and Hill, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Burke also gave his thoughts on Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, who was drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2016, when Burke was their president of hockey operations.

In addition, Rosen and Roarke gave their thoughts on the conference finals and went into some news around the NHL, including the situation with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the fallout surrounding the departure of now-former general manager Kyle Dubas.

The "NHL @TheRink"podcast is free and listeners can subscribe on all podcast platforms. It is also available on NHL.com/multimedia/podcasts and the NHL app.

Listen: New episode of NHL @TheRink