Brian Burke

Brian Burke's youngest son, 21-year-old Brendan, was killed in a car accident yesterday.

You may love the Leafs' bombastic general manager.

You may not love him.

But you have to feel for him.

There is nothing worse in this world than having to bury a child.

Brendan Burke was in the news last November when an ESPN story revealed he was gay.

To his immense credit, Brian Burke was fully supportive of his son.

A week before the trade deadline, Toronto Maple Leafs boss Brian Burke held a teleconference today with NHL reporters. Read it all here – just because the Leafs and Canadiens are joined at the hip.

Courtesy of Cory Kornelsen, editor of McKeen's Hockey, a scouting report on Ryan McDonagh:

Robust two-way defenseman .. commanding all-access skater that is strong on his edges with sharp acceleration .. has become more productive this season because he's anticipating the play incisively and is asserting himself more offensively with the puck .. has underrated hand skill and a quick shot that he is beginning to get on net with more frequency, as he's already surpassed his career high with four goals on the year .. his on-ice vision and creativity with the puck are mediocre, although he makes calculated decisions and doesn't rush into many mistakes .. suffocating one-on-one defender that is a pillar of strength on the backend and is one of the most physically imposing defenders in college hockey .. lacks prototypical height but it doesn't matter because he boasts tremendous strength and has a mean streak .. his influential backwards and lateral mobility allows him to maintain tight gaps before angling off his man to the wall .. fiercely covers his net and clears his crease area with conviction .. a safe bet to play in the NHL sooner rather than later.  

 • Ryan O'Byrne and the sophomore jinx

• Jarkko Ruutu pleads innocence 

• Steve Bégin talks to his coach

• Canadiens fans voting for all-Hab All-Star lineup 

• Damien Cox and Ken Campbell of the Hockey News on the Kostopoulos hit

• Mathias Brunet on Brian Burke

• Bruins in Burke hunt?

• Scott Burnside weighs in on Burke 

Kevin Lowe is finally fighting back in a heretofore one-sided war of words with Brian Burke.

"Where do I begin?" Lowe said in an an intervew on Edmonton sports radio.  "He's a moron, first of all."

The Edmonton general manager described his Anaheim counterpart as "an underachieving wanna-be in terms of success in the NHL"

"He won a Stanley Cup? Great," Lowe said. "I've won six Stanley Cups, you want to count rings? Who cares, it's just a little pathetic that he carries on."

This ain't over, fight fans.