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Brian Burke faces tough task if he fires Ron Wilson

Dion Phaneuf, Ron Wilson, Brian Burke

Newly-named Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf, center, poses with Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson, left, and President and GM Brian Burke during a press conference to make the announcement in Toronto Monday, June 14, 2010. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese)

AP

Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke is different from a lot of other NHL general managers for a wide variety of reasons - not just because he’s one of the sport’s great executive showmen.

His fierce - some might say stubborn - loyalty stands out among those qualities. While neighboring GM Bryan Murray seems to shed head coaches like snakes lose skin, Burke has allowed Ron Wilson to stay despite increasing pressure to remove his beloved bench boss.

As Michael Woods reports, it would be more than just a “hockey decision” for Burke (even if he claims otherwise).

Burke and Wilson were born a month apart, were college roommates and teammates on the Providence College Friars hockey team in Rhode Island in the 1970s and have been friends ever since.

(If more details like that aren’t enough for you to follow the link, go there for the mind-blowing photo of Burke and Wilson as co-captains at Providence College.)

Sports front offices base a lot of their decisions on loyalty and familiarity - just look at how wildly predictable Darryl Sutter’s hiring was in Los Angeles - but even with that in mind, Burke and Wilson’s roots go deep.

It’s not like that’s the only instance when Burke’s been a man of his word almost to a fault, either. Personally, his handling of Ilya Bryzgalov in Anaheim was particularly memorable. Instead of holding onto the talented (then) backup, he allowed Breezy to get a real chance to start with another team. He ended up putting outstanding numbers with the Phoenix Coyotes and earning that huge contract with the Philadelphia Flyers in the process.

If you ask me, Burke’s moving the Maple Leafs in a solid direction. There’s the instinct to believe that the two might go off the cliff Thelma & Louise-style if Toronto’s playoff drought continues this season, but it might just come down to Burke firing his friend and coach.

Don’t expect it to be an easy leap, though.