When it was revealed that Alex Burrows was leaving his post as assistant coach of the Montreal Canadiens, many assumed he was stepping away from the organization altogether.
But as it turns out, the former Vancouver Canucks winger is taking on a new role with the team.
The Canadiens announced Tuesday that Burrows and ex-Edmonton Oilers player Lauri Korpikoski have been brought on in player development roles.
The Canadiens add Alex Burrows and Lauri Korpikoski to their player development department.
News release ↓ #GoHabsGohttps://t.co/T83Avs2e4C
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 2, 2024
While Korpikoski will be based in Europe, Burrows’ new “player development consultant” title will consist of him working closely with players at both the NHL and AHL levels.
Burrows, who acted as assistant coach of the Habs since February 2021 and previously was an assistant in the AHL with the Laval Rocket from 2018 to 2021, spoke to the media about his decision to step down on Tuesday.
“With a young family and being away from birthdays or just Halloween when you have young kids, you mature as a dad and you miss those times,“ the Pincourt, Quebec, native told reporters. “It was a tough decision. I think it’s a good common ground for me to balance family life right now.”
Canadiens GM Kent Hughes seemed understanding when asked about Burrows’ decision.
“He has a young family and lives almost an hour away from Montreal. It’s not easy for Alex if we play late at night and he has to return to the arena early,” Hughes said in a Tuesday press conference. “I think it had become a lot for him and his family after having a career as a hockey player, where you give a lot of your time… It’s a demanding job.”
A crucial member of the dominant Vancouver teams of the early 2010s, Burrows appeared in 913 NHL games for the Canucks and the Ottawa Senators. He ended his career with 205 goals and 204 assists, totalling 409 points at the NHL level.