Charlie Burns
Born (1936-02-14)February 14, 1936
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died November 5, 2021(2021-11-05) (aged 85)
Wallingford, Connecticut, U.S.
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Center
Shot Left
Played for Detroit Red Wings
Boston Bruins
Oakland Seals
Pittsburgh Penguins
Minnesota North Stars
National team  Canada
Playing career 1952–1974
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Canada
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1958 Oslo

Charles Frederick Burns (February 14, 1936 – November 5, 2021) was an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 749 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Minnesota North Stars between 1958 and 1973. He later worked as the head coach of Minnesota in both 1970 and 1974–75. Burns was mainly known for being an excellent skater, playmaker and defensive player who performed checking and penalty-killing. His trademark was the heavily padded helmet that he was forced to wear after suffering a serious head injury while playing junior hockey in 1954–55.

Playing career

In 1959, he was the only US-born player in the NHL. Burns was born in Detroit, Michigan, his family moved to Toronto, Ontario, when he was a child.[1] Burns chose Canadian citizenship when he turned 21[2] and later played for the 1958 world champion Whitby Dunlops.

Post-playing career

Burns had three spells as a player-coach, twice with the San Francisco Seals (1965–66 and 1966–67) and one with the Minnesota North Stars (1969–70). He coached the North Stars again in 1974–75 upon his active career retirement. Curiously, all of these were midseason assignments. He coached youth hockey for the Wallingford Hawks of Wallingford, Connecticut, in his spare time.[3] Burns died in Wallingford, Connecticut, on November 5, 2021, at the age of 85.[4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1952–53 Toronto Marlboros OHA 33571217 —————
1953–54 Toronto Marlboros OHA 5917143145 —————
1954–55 Toronto Marlboros OHA 30000 —————
1955–56 Toronto Marlboros OHA 2058130 —————
1956–57 Whitby Dunlops OHA Sr 4016254129 —————
1957–58 Whitby Dunlops OHA Sr 3124285232 —————
1958–59 Detroit Red Wings NHL 709112032 —————
1959–60 Boston Bruins NHL 6210172746 —————
1960–61 Boston Bruins NHL 6215264116 —————
1960–61 Kingston Frontenacs EPHL 83694 —————
1961–62 Boston Bruins NHL 7011172843 —————
1962–63 Boston Bruins NHL 6812102213 —————
1963–64 San Francisco Seals WHL 6833366927 111342
1964–65 San Francisco Seals WHL 5127366319 —————
1965–66 San Francisco Seals WHL 4010354526 71560
1966–67 California Seals WHL 7122386029 60009
1967–68 Oakland Seals NHL 739263520 —————
1968–69 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 7613385122 —————
1969–70 Minnesota North Stars NHL 503131610 61012
1970–71 Minnesota North Stars NHL 769192813 123362
1971–72 Minnesota North Stars NHL 7711142524 71122
1972–73 Minnesota North Stars NHL 65471113 60000
1973–74 New Haven Nighthawks AHL 6410192973 1013416
NHL Totals 749106198304252 315496

Coaching record

Team Year Regular season Post season
GWLTPctFinish GWLResult
Minnesota North Stars 1969–70 441022120.3643rd in West 624Lost in quarter-finals
Minnesota North Stars 1974–75 42122820.3104th in Smythe Did not qualify
NHL totals 86225014.204— 6241 playoff appearance

References

  1. ↑ Shorthanded: The Untold Story of the Seals: Hockey's Most Colorful Team (p. 47), by Brad Kurzberg, AuthorHouse (2006), ISBN 1425910289
  2. ↑ "Sport: The Pappy Line". Time. March 2, 1959.
  3. ↑ Kurzberg, p.48
  4. ↑ Charles F. Burns
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