Alexandre Burrows Alexandre Ménard - Burrows ( born April 11 , 1981 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . He is known for playing in the style of an agitator and for his ascension to the NHL from being an undrafted player in the ECHL . After a two - year career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League ( QMJHL ) , he played in the minor leagues for three seasons . He was signed by the Canucks in 2005 from their American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Manitoba Moose . Burrows established himself as a checking forward with the Canucks in his first three NHL seasons before emerging as a scorer with two consecutive seasons of at least 20 goals and 50 points , beginning in 2008 – 09 . Before making it to the NHL , Burrows also enjoyed a prolific ball hockey career , competing in national and international tournaments in the summers . In 2005 , he was named the International Ball Hockey Player of the Year . He has also been inducted into the Canadian and International Ball Hockey Halls of Fame . Playing career . Junior and minor leagues . Burrows played two seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League ( QMJHL ) with the Shawinigan Cataractes , beginning in 2000 – 01 . He recorded 16 goals and 30 points over 63 regular season games , then added three points over 10 post - season games . The following season , he improved to 35 goals and 70 points over 64 games , third in team - scoring , behind Jonathan Bellemare and Jason Pominville . He went on to lead his team in post - season scoring with nine goals and 20 points in 12 games as the Cataractes advanced to the Conference Finals , where they were eliminated in seven games by the Victoriaville Tigres . Undrafted by a National Hockey League ( NHL ) club , Burrows went professional in 2002 – 03 with the Greenville Grrrowl of the ECHL , a third - tier minor league . Late in his professional rookie season , he transferred to the Baton Rouge Kingfish and finished with a combined 32 points in 66 games between the two teams . The following season , in 2003 – 04 , he returned to the South Division , as he was signed by the Columbia Inferno . Early in the season , he was signed by Columbia ' s American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Manitoba Moose , on October 21 , 2003 , having been scouted by Moose general manager Craig Heisinger . He appeared in two AHL games for Manitoba before being sent back down to the ECHL . Shortly after his return , he was suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount by the league for abusing officials during a game on October 24 against the Greensboro Generals . Later on in the season , he was named to the 2004 ECHL All - Star Game for the Eastern Conference and recorded one assist . He went on to finish the season with 29 goals and 73 points , second in points among Columbia players to league - scoring champion Tim Smith . In the subsequent off - season , Burrows was re - signed by the Moose on August 3 , 2004 . He was initially sent back down to the ECHL after a training camp both he and head coach Randy Carlyle both described as disappointing . Following an injury to Wade Brookbank , he was recalled on October 29 , 2004 . He scored his first AHL goal with the Moose five days later , a game winning goal against goaltender David LeNeveu of the Utah Grizzlies in a 2 – 1 win . He finished the 2004 – 05 season with Manitoba and posted 26 points over 72 games in a fourth - line role . Vancouver Canucks . Having worked his way up from the ECHL , Burrows ' energetic play in the minors earned him a two - way contract with the Moose ' s NHL affiliate , the Vancouver Canucks , on November 8 , 2005 . He had appeared earlier in the Canucks ' training camp for the 2005 – 06 season , but was sent back to the Moose . After recording 30 points in 33 games with the Moose , he was recalled by the Canucks on January 2 , 2006 . Eight days later , Burrows scored his first career NHL goal against Ed Belfour of the Toronto Maple Leafs . He also added an assist as the Canucks won the game 4 – 3 . Establishing himself on the Canucks roster , he added his first NHL career hat trick on March 27 , 2006 , in a 7 – 4 win against the Los Angeles Kings . He finished with seven goals and 12 points over 43 games in his NHL rookie campaign . Burrows ' ascension to the NHL has been attributed to his hard - working and abrasive style of play , generating momentum for his team and aggravating opposing players . Burrows completed his first full campaign with the Canucks the following season in 2006 – 07 . He contributed primarily on the team ' s penalty kill , which ranked first in the league . Burrows ' average shorthanded ice time per game was second among team forwards , behind Ryan Kesler . He struggled to produce offensively , however , and recorded a career - low three goals and nine points in 81 games . In 2007 – 08 , Burrows formed an effective duo with center Ryan Kesler on the third line as defensive forwards , countering opposing teams ' top players while contributing offensively , as well . During the season , he was fined an undisclosed amount by the league after spearing Detroit Red Wings forward Aaron Downey at centre ice during the two teams ' pre - game skate on February 23 , 2008 . He finished the campaign with 12 goals , 31 points and a team - high plus - minus of + 11 . He was voted by Canucks ' fans to receive the team ' s Most Exciting Player Award and the Fred J . Hume Award , given to the team ' s " unsung hero " as voted by the Canucks Booster Club . After remaining on the third line with Kesler at the start of the following season , head coach Alain Vigneault separated the two after the All - Star break , placing Burrows on the first line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin , beginning on February 12 , 2009 , during a game against the Phoenix Coyotes . Burrows ' crash - the - net style – skating hard to the opposing team ' s goalmouth for rebounds or tip - ins – combined well with the Sedins ' cycling plays . Vigneault ' s line adjustments were precipitated by a losing streak in January , which Burrows was instrumental in breaking . The Canucks ' winless streak had extended to eight games when Burrows broke a 3 – 3 tie with a shorthanded breakaway goal with 82 seconds remaining in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes . Shortly thereafter , the Canucks extended his contract with a four - year , $ 8 million deal on February 4 , 2009 , quadrupling his $ 525 , 000 salary . Following a game against the Edmonton Oilers on April 4 , Burrows received a $ 2 , 500 fine from the league for punching Oilers enforcer Zach Stortini from the bench . Late in the campaign , he was selected by the Professional Hockey Writers ' Association as the Canucks ' nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy , awarded for perseverance , dedication and sportsmanship . Burrows was not shortlisted for the award , however . Prior to the last game of the season , he received his second consecutive Most Exciting Player Award . Playing in a more offensive role on the first line for the latter part of the season , Burrows finished the 2008 – 09 campaign with 51 points . His 28 goals broke Andrew Brunette ' s mark for the most in a single season by an ECHL alumnus ( 27 in 2006 – 07 ) . In the subsequent first round of the 2009 playoffs , Burrows scored the series - winning goal in overtime to sweep the St . Louis Blues . It was his second goal of the game . The Canucks advanced to meet the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round , who defeated them in six games . Burrows ' level of play was noticeably diminished in the Chicago series and it was revealed afterwards that he required surgery to remove bone chips in his left wrist . He finished the playoffs with three goals and an assist over 10 games . The following season , Burrows recorded back - to - back hat tricks against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Phoenix Coyotes on January 5 and 7 , 2010 , respectively . It marked the first time an NHL player notched consecutive three - goal games since Ilya Kovalchuk in November 2007 and the first time a Canucks player did so since Petri Skriko in 1986 . With six goals and an assist over two games , Burrows was named the NHL First Star of the Week on January 11 , 2010 . NHL officials controversy . The night of his first star of the week selection , Burrows and the Canucks played a controversial game against the Nashville Predators . With the game tied 2 – 2 in the third period , Burrows was penalized twice by referee Stéphane Auger – once for diving and the other for interference . The latter call was deemed questionable by media sources , including The Sports Network ( TSN ) and the " National Post " . The interference penalty along with an additional penalty committed by Henrik Sedin resulted in Nashville ' s game - winning , 5 - on - 3 powerplay goal late in the game . With three seconds to go in regulation , Burrows skated by Auger and protested the interference penalty , resulting in an unsportsmanlike minor and a ten - minute misconduct . Following the game , Burrows accused Auger of having a personal vendetta against him for a play against the Predators the previous month that had made him look bad . After Burrows had been hit into the boards by Nashville forward Jerred Smithson during a game on December 8 , 2009 , Auger assessed Smithson with a five - minute major and a game misconduct . However , the league later rescinded because it was believed Burrows had embellished injury . Burrows claimed that Auger told him before the January 11 game : " you made me look bad [ for calling the Smithson penalty ] so I ' m going to get you back tonight . " He went on to tell reporters that Auger " should stay out for the rest of the year making calls like that . . . We just blew two points because of his officiating tonight . " The following day , the NHL fined Burrows US $ 2 , 500 for publicly criticizing Auger and deemed that his claims " cannot be substantiated . " Later that week , the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation ( CBC ) ' s " Hockey Night in Canada " telecast aired an 11 - minute segment hosted by Ron MacLean and NHL vice - president Colin Campbell reviewing Burrows ' past transgressions , spanning two years . The segment was widely criticized for being biased against Burrows and failing to illustrate both sides of the argument . Burrows ' parents subsequently issued a formal letter of complaint to the CBC , accusing MacLean of " verbal assassination " and for displaying " no journalistic balance . " The following Saturday after the segment aired , the Canucks refused any interviews with the CBC before , during or after their game against the Chicago Blackhawks , which was broadcast on " Hockey Night in Canada " . The boycott was ordered by Canucks general manager Mike Gillis after MacLean refused to apologize . CBC and Canucks representatives later agreed in a conference call to " move on " and team players were allowed to resume interviews . Vancouver Canucks ( cont ' d ) . Later in the 2009 – 10 season , Burrows left during a game against the Los Angeles Kings after being hit in the throat by a Jarret Stoll slapshot . He was not injured , however , and did not miss any games thereafter . He finished the season with a career - high 35 goals , 32 assists , 67 points and a + 34 rating . His goals total ranked first on the Canucks . Fans voted him as recipient of the team ' s Most Exciting Player Award for the third consecutive season . Burrows struggled to score in the playoffs , however . In 12 games , he scored three goals , two of which were into empty nets , and notched three assists . The Canucks advanced to the second round past the Los Angeles Kings , where they were eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks for the second consecutive year . It was revealed in the off - season that Burrows was suffering from a shoulder injury , which he later received surgery for . Due to rehabilitation from the shoulder surgery , Burrows missed the first 10 games of the 2010 – 11 season . Continuing to play with the Sedins upon his return , he recorded 48 points ( 26 goals and 22 assists ) in 72 games , sixth in team - scoring . Winning the Presidents ' Trophy , the Canucks entered the 2011 playoffs as the first seed in the West and matched up against the Blackhawks for the third consecutive year . With a 3 – 0 lead in the series , the Canucks lost their next three games , resulting in a game seven . In the deciding game , Burrows scored two goals in a 2 – 1 overtime win , helping Vancouver eliminate Chicago . After defeating the Nasvhille Predators and San Jose Sharks in rounds two and three , the Canucks reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 17 years . Playing the Boston Bruins , Burrows received much attention for allegedly biting opposing forward Patrice Bergeron during a scrum at the end of the first period . While the two players were being held apart by a linesman , Bergeron put his finger in Burrows ' mouth . The incident was reviewed by the league , but was ruled unsuspendable with " no conclusive evidence that [ he ] intentionally bit [ Bergeron ' s ] finger . " The following game , Burrows scored his second overtime - winner of the playoffs , part of a three - point effort ( two goals and an assist ) . Occurring 11 seconds into the extra period , it was the second - fastest goal scored from the start of an overtime game in Stanley Cup Finals history ( Montreal Canadiens forward Brian Skrudland scored nine seconds into overtime in Game 2 of the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals against the Calgary Flames ) . Personal life . Burrows was born in Pincourt , Québec , to parents Rodney and Carole . His father emigrated from London , England , at 23 , while his mother , a Québec native , is an elementary school principal . Burrows has two sisters , as well – one older and one younger . He grew up speaking mostly French and attended French schools . He returns in the off - season to Montreal . In July 2010 , Burrows married his longtime girlfriend , Nancy Roy . On April 27 , 2011 , Nancy gave birth to the couple ' s first child , a girl named Victoria . Burrows was the closest friend on the Canucks to former teammate Luc Bourdon , who died in a motorcycle accident in May 2008 . In the hockey season following his death , Burrows occasionally celebrated goals with a bow - and - arrow mime , a gesture that Bourdon himself did after scoring during his junior career . He and his wife ( girlfriend at the time ) remained close to Bourdon ' s girlfriend , Charlene Ward . In the 2009 off - season , Burrows was involved in an assault incident while playing in a summer ice hockey league . Police were called to an arena in Kirkland , Québec , on July 21 after Burrows allegedly struck a goaltender , 19 - year - old Koray Celik , in the face . No arrests , however , were made at the scene .