The Sheet with Jeff Marek - On the Sheet: Brian Burke on Heading to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Brady Tkachuk, the Trade Market, and more

Episode Date: June 24, 2026

Brian Burke on heading to the Hockey Hall of Fame, what it means to him and his family, the Brady Tkachuk trade, why the trade market is so active, and moreSHOUTOUT TO OUR SPONSORS!!👍🏼 Fan Duel: https://www.fanduel.com/👍🏼 Canadian Blood Services: https://www.blood.ca/👍🏼 Ninja: https://www.sharkninja.ca/ninja-crispi-pro-6-in-1-countertop-glass-air-fryer-rose-quartz/AS101CRS.html?utm_source=Meta&utm_medium=Paid+Social&utm_campaign=H1NinjaCrispi&utm_content=NinjaEN&dwvar_AS101CRS_color=cdb9b8Reach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!#NHL #TheSheet #JeffMarek #DavidPagnotta #TorontoMapleLeafs #LeafsForever #JosephWoll #SamuelErsson #EmilAndrae #PhiladelphiaFlyers #VegasGoldenKnights #JohnTortorella #CHL #DanMacKenzie #MemorialCup #HockeyReach out to [e-mail] to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Flames_Nation🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoff Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the meantime, I am thrilled to announce our next guest like this. He is a hockey Hall of Fame inductee to be, the class of 2026. He is Brian Burke, and he joins me here on the program. Ladies and gentlemen, that's what a Hall of Famer looks like. First of all, congratulations, Berkey. How are you, pal? Oh, great. Thank you.

I've had a great couple days. I would imagine. You know, I had Patrick on the program yesterday. I do want to play a clip for you from that in case any of our audience missed it. But tell us about the call. Getting the call to the hall. What was it like for you? What's your story?

Well, I had to recuse myself. I had been nominated. I don't know by whom. But as a member of the selection committee, if someone nominate you, you have two choices. You have to say, no, I'm not eligible. Or I recuse myself from all deliberations, all votes, all meetings. and see what happens. So I recuse myself.

But I know from being on the selection committee, I usually call by about one. So 1 o'clock came and went, and I'm like, screw it. I'm not going to get in. About 1.30, I got the call, and I was kind of nerve-wracking. You know, of course. And in moments like that,

you can't help but think back to, and Patrick and I were, you know, recounting your career on the ice and off the ice and saying like this is the definition of a builder. You're someone that left the game in a better place than when you started, both on the ice, off the ice, in the NHL, various teams, various leagues. But like what did you reflect upon right away?

Before we get to some of the things happening in the NHL here right now, it seems like it's trade deadline week. But what are some of the things that you reflected on over the last couple of days here since getting the call? Well, just so many people who are important in my life were gone. My dad's gone. my mom's gone. Pat Quinn's gone.

Bob McCannan's gone. All these people that worked for me or with me. Jack McAllarkey. All people are really critical. JJ, Jimmy Johansson. All these people that were so important to me are gone. It's a sad day. A lot of this, as you get older,

it's inevitable. People on your list fall up. I don't take anyone out of my phone if they pass. So I've got my phone reminding me every day of all the people that had an impact. They're no longer with us. I'm the same way. I have a hard time, and I don't.

I don't take anyone out of my phone when they pass. It's, I don't know what it is, but I guess we're the same spirit, and I don't think we're in the minority. I think a lot of people have a hard time and just leave those people in their phones as well. Really quickly, have you started to think about your speech? Because Patrick and I were wondering if there was a time limit on speeches and how many stop signs would Brian Burke drive through en route to his speech? Have you thought about it?

No, I'm sure this is a time limit. I've not received any. I'm told the Hockey Hall of Fame does an amazing job of organizing everything. Kelly Mask and her crew, I've received any yet. It's going to be a great night. Now, before we get to everything NHL and over the course of the next few weeks here, I'm going to ask you a bunch of Hall of Fame stuff and get your thoughts on it, but I wanted to play one clip for you.

So Patrick and I essentially spent, I don't know if your ears were, were ringing or your ears were burning. We essentially spent 20 minutes yesterday talking about you as we have a close-up of that glorious shot behind you with the Brian Burke last call to eye look. And Patrick had a great idea. And for those that may not have seen it, Berkey, maybe you didn't see it. This is your son's big idea for your induction night. My big hope is that Kevin Lowe introduces him and we finally get to see a barn fight.

I just Kevin if you're watching I don't know who picks who gets to do the nomination speech love to have you you and my dad can just go out at once and for all we can put this whole thing to bed you have no idea how much of a great historical moment that would be that would get replayed over and and that's just on my show I was like on a loop over and over again Kevin to be to be clear Kevin

one of the classiest nicest people in hockey even when he and my dad were doing that that nonsense. When I saw Kevin around the rinks, he was always kind to me and patient with me. There was no like, hey, your dad's being weird, so I've got a problem with you. So love Kevin, just to be clear. Okay. Brian, your son's idea. Kevin Lowe introduces you. Your thoughts. I don't think that's going to happen. Kevin started this whole thing. So I was being a jerk, so I guess I kind of started.

But Kevin challenged me to a fight. He was doing an interview. He had a couple of lots of He said, Brian Burke, I'm so sick of his shit. Tell him anywhere I need any time anywhere. So I called Glenn Siddler. I said, that is not how you challenge someone to a fight. Here's how you challenge someone to a fight. I'll be with the Hollywood and Link Plaskill, the first, second, and third.

Tell him, Kevin, I'll be there. I'll rent a bar and he'll kick his ass. I'll drive him in the hospital. You have made amends since. Oh, yeah. Kevin Lowe. Like we like for those that may not be, you know, familiar, this is all over,

over an offer sheet. It's all water under the bridge. Now, it was, it was burning at the time. And, uh, and that was a sort of,

uh, accentuation mark on all of it. Um, but you and Kevin have made up since. And I don't know whether Kevin introduces you, but you're both in the Hall of Fame. The beauty of hockey guys is Kevin Lowe and I would have gone, he would have shown up for that fight and a heartbeat.

Who would have fought and sorted it out. That's the beauty of hockey players. He's not afraid to me one bit. I'm not afraid of him one bit. We both would have showed up on time. Both would have fought by the rules. One of us would have driven the other one to the hospital. There's so many great stories about you, Brian.

I don't know how many people know about the Siddins. You were actually the one that pulled the trigger and brought those two together, if we can recount that one. But as I was thinking about you, like when I saw the news and I got it on my phone, I started thinking like all the great stories of Brian Burke on the ice, off the ice, all of your, you know, support for various causes. Like you've, it's not just that you've made, you know, hockey a better place. Like, look, the Department of Player's Safety is because of you.

You were the foundation of that. You know, the PWHL, you know, you are always a driving force behind women's hockey. I was telling people yesterday on the program, you would always tell me, like, it's one thing, Jeff, to say I support women's hockey. It's another thing to buy a ticket. go buy a ticket. You want to say you support women's hockey, go buy a ticket, go buy season tickets. And there's LGBTQ, you always march in pride parades.

Like you've done so much. Let me close the Hall of Fame talk on this one. Of all the things that you have done on the ice, off the ice, with teams, various leagues, all of it. What's the one thing that if you could point to one thing, you would say, I want to be remembered for this? Oh, I don't get an hour enough thought. Let me give that some thought. and I'll try to have a better answer. I'm not going to out the stuff.

I would say, so I have to give some thought. Give it some thought. I would like to think I've always viewed the game of hockey is really important to me and it's central for my life, but I always had a bigger purpose. Absolutely. And attaching yourself with something greater than you always makes you a better person yourself.

Okay, so we will talk about you and the Hall of Fame in subsequent weeks to follow, but again, on behalf of all of us here, congratulations and really well deserved the true definition of a builder someone that made the game better and left it in a better place that is you Brian Burke now to trade deadline week or the draft I mean I don't know how inconsequential the draft is going to feel after we've essentially had a better trade deadline than we had a couple of months ago but even over the next few minutes here we wonder about you know trades going down with big names has anything really jumped out at you I mean the Brady a chuck trade was massive. I'm going to talk to Julian McKinsey about that in a couple of moments. Yarmalke Kalanan back at it yesterday in the trade with the Blackhawks, Bo Byram going, and he picks up a couple of high draft picks and also a really large defenseman, second pairing shutdown D, Louis Crevier.

What's caught your mind here? What's caught your eye? Well, everyone's open for business and often there's a quiet period before something big happens. But this one of bang, bang, bang. It's been great. This is exciting for a guy who works in the media. And for you, Jeff, like, this is exciting stuff.

These are big names. You're fishing with big lures, big mates. It's fun. That's great. I love it. You'll take this thing out of a quiet trade down the line. Well, that's the thing, too, because this is what you're known for. You, like, you've made every manager's made small trades.

But, you know, one of the things that you've always been able to hang your hat on is you make massive deals. Like you've always been someone that wasn't afraid to swing for the fences. That's why I'm like, this is a great week for Brian Burke. There's massive trades that are going on. And he's going into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The big one so far, Brady Kachuk. Did you see this one coming this way? And let me frame it this way.

I had a conversation with someone this morning who said, it wasn't because of the Kelsey brothers, but in conversation, you know, with Brady and with Matt, you know, the Kelsey's have gone on to say their biggest regret was not being able to play on the same team, that the brothers weren't able to play with each other. And that seems to them to be a great loss. And that had some kind of impact on the brothers. Nonetheless, your thoughts on Brady Kachneau of Florida Panther.

Well, I love the big deals or big deals. Cliff Fletcher told me that, Young. he said you have a deal they have a deal it's good one for one try and make it two for two try to make it three for three deliberately try and make the deals as big as you can you get stop the press's impact so to me those big deals are huge because people are like whoa and brady kachuk falls into that because the high picks three of them four in the second I mean that's a huge deal and it's one where I think the dollar senator's got a full price they get a distress price.

And now, and we saw this, and Steve Stios goes into business and to try to replace that spot. William Ecclin comes in from the San Jose Sharks. We're seeing draft picks flying out the window right now. San Jose is holding a lot of cards at the draft after that one. And like, if you're Steve Stoos here, like put us in Stan, you know Steve.

I mean, we talked yesterday about, you know, protegees and helping, you know, younger executives. You know Stios well. you're Steve Steyos, Brady Gachuk says, I want out, this is too much, you go to business, you get them to Florida, what do you do the day after? What do you do them when you're rolling up your sleeves

if you're Steve Steyos? Well, I think the important thing I note is he didn't say I want out. He said, I won't sign an extension. You're not asked for a train. My understanding is, you're not say I want to get traded out of Ottawa, but he said, I'm not going to sign an extension

when time comes. might as well ask for a trade in my view. So they got preempted and said, well, we're not going to wait. They made a hell of a deal of a movement. And they immediately started trying to convert that draft capital and ask that it can help them win and replace Brady. When you look at the Florida Panthers now, didn't make the playoffs last season, as we all know.

But I think now all of a sudden they go from that to becoming one of the favorites for the Stanley Cup. And still without a goaltender, though. Are they Cup favorites for you now with Brady Cutt, Chuck in the lineup. Well, I love Brady, but I don't think Brady's going to have the impact everyone thinks. So what's his best year in the NHL so far goal-wise? 20-something goals here.

Let me grab it. Playing first line minutes on first line. 28. So he had, no, sorry, I apologize. He had a 37 goal season and a 35. Those were two years ago. Okay, two years ago. So he's a legit frontline player.

He's a 30-35 goal guy, yeah. And I thought it was lower than that, but you got to replace those goals. Last year he fell off, but this is an impact guy, scores goals. He's a pain of the ants. He's going to make Matthew, even bigger pain of the ants. Eyes around the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, and eyes around the Maple Leafs leading into Friday by way of trades as well. We all expect the Gavin McKenna selection to go according to script.

But if you're writing a script here now for the Toronto Maple Leafs, leaves who made the deal last week with Tampa, the sign and trade, bringing in Darren Radish. You're John Cheka, Matt Sundin. What are you thinking about? Like, who are your guys? What are the areas of interest for you? Well, you have a really good safe option, which is pick McKenna.

The draft McKenna, no one's going to say a word. Everyone likes the guy. Everyone likes to pick. They win the lottery. They get to win the lottery. They get to win the lottery. They get to pick Cadd McKenna. That is safe out. What my view would be, since he's not, generational player, there is a debate over who to take, then shop

that pick and see what you can get. I don't sense they are. So I think they're going to take McKenna, and people are going to be happy with that. Absolutely. Do you see the Maple Leafs making any other moves before Friday? It seems like every team is frisky right now. Yeah, they got cast space, though I'm moving while.

They'll look for some help. He's going to be active. Yeah. One of the things about Maple Leafs that I think people have a hard time with and I certainly do. I don't understand where all the Matthew Nye's talk is coming from and why. Unless Matthew Nyes wants out. Here's a 23-year-old, cost-controlled power forward who has a skill set that few others have,

and every team covets. He goes to the net hard. He's big, he's strong, he can score goals. You know, his ceiling is probably a 35, maybe 40-goal score. What am I missing here, Berkey? I'm with you. I wouldn't trade out of that. I wouldn't be talking about it.

In fact, I would have called him in and said, stop listening to this talk, Matthew. We're not moving you. In fact, they haven't done that leads me to believe they're at least entertaining possible. I will tell you that's. Matthew Nyes, as was Pittsburgh, we had to pick right after Matthew Nyes. We took Tristan Braves. We were going to take Matthew Nyes. At least took him one player before we were going to take him.

Hex, he told the draft guy put Nise's name in, heck. So they took them. I love the kid. I would move them. Was there any talk about then, we've seen this before, like when you identify the player that you want, maybe you have intel that someone else might jump up before you.

Was there any conversation about trying to move up to get them? No, it really wasn't worth it at that point. Matthew Nice was a good prospect, played at the University of Minnesota, a big kid, but he wasn't a surefire star or anything. Injury is an issue there.

So it was essentially, a first round, a first round player you get in the second round. Yeah. Walk us through where you think Yarmalkeleinen is thinking here. Well, a couple more things from this week. You're the general manager of the Buffalo Sabres. Moments ago at his press conference, he was talking about he didn't have any other options that there were no negotiations with Bo Byron.

He was going to have to trade him. He did. Got a heck of a return. And Louis Crevier, a fourth overall. and a 45th overall. Also, and Chicago adds to over $9 million in cap here, Jordan Greenway goes to the Chicago Blackhawks too.

So they take a quote unquote cap dump and all of a sudden the Buffalo Sabres are flush. They're in the driver's seat. They're at home. You know how much general managers love to put on a show at the draft when it's in your backyard. I don't think Yarmo's done. Do you think Yarmo's done?

No, he's got the fourth pick. He'll keep trying to move up. try to add different assets. When the drafts in your building, it used to be a lot more fun when all the teams were there. It's still a big deal. So they're going to try and make some noise on top of this deal. Why do you think this is all happening right now, Brian?

Is it just that Brady Kachuk went and now everybody, all the dominoes are starting to fall? Like, explain the dynamic between GMs right now because every couple of hours, it's like, bam, St. Louis moves Cairo to the Washington capitals. Bam, Bo Byram's, going to Chicago Blackhawks, and there'll be more deals today.

Number one for me is that it's like the ice breaking up in a lake. One big piece has to move before all the other pieces move. There's always a delay. When you watch the ice go out of the lake, there's always a hesitation to that one big piece moves, then lots of pieces move. So it's a dynamic to it that once you make that one big deal, it starts a flood of other moves.

Second, dollar caps going up, and there's no free agents. It's a recipe for great deals. Recipe for lots of them. And that's what we're seeing so far. Brian, final thought on your week so far. Like I know you're still thumb on the pulse of everything that's happening right now by way of trades and the draft on the horizon.

And like this has been a great week. I was saying to Patrick yesterday. A great week for Brian Burke and a great week for the Burke family as well. You want to put a sort of ribbon around your week so far? Well, I never dreamed I could have a day like this. I never dreamed I'd be in the hockey alpave. No one does. No one ever started in hockey and figured, okay, I'm going to be in the hockey all of fame.

I never thought of being working or playing in the NHL. I started playing hockey. My sole goal was to get a scholarship. So everything that's happened to me is just gravy. I've been so blessed and so lucky. All my speech is going to be is a long set of thank you. Bill Brooks. You've touched so many different areas that is going to be a long list.

It's not as if it was just one area, whether it's, you know, college hockey, whether it's, you know, going to law school, Providence, whether it's as an agent, as a manager, working in the NHL, work with LGBTQ community, work with PWHL and women's hockey. Brian, that's going to be a long list. And that distinction sits well with you and looks great on you. Congratulations again. Thank you. Thanks, pal.