George Burnett (born March 25, 1962) is the general manager of the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League. Burnett previously played in the OHL with the London Knights, and later became a two-time OHL Coach of the Year and won an OHL championship in his first tour of duty with the Guelph Storm. Burnett was head coach and general manager of the Belleville Bulls for 11 seasons, and drafted all three Subban brothers into the OHL; P. K. Subban, Malcolm Subban and Jordan Subban.
Burnett briefly coached in the National Hockey League for three seasons. He was head coach of the Edmonton Oilers for part of the 1994–95 season, and was an assistant coach for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for two seasons. Burnett coached in the American Hockey League for four seasons, winning one division title and one Calder Cup championship. Burnett was the head coach of Canada's U18 National team which won the gold medal at the Six Nations Cup in the Czech Republic in 2001, and another gold medal at the 2010 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Burnett was assistant coach for the Canada's U20 National Junior team at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships winning silver and bronze medals.
Playing career London Knights (1979–1982) Burnett began playing junior hockey with the London Knights of the OMJHL in the 1979–80 season. In 68 games he scored 14 goals and 29 points. Burnett saw his offensive numbers explode in the 1980–81 season, as he scored 17 goals and 76 points in 67 games to finish fourth in team scoring. In Burnett's third season in 1981–82, he scored 26 goals and 92 points, which was the third highest point total on the Knights. In four playoff games, Burnett scored a goal and two points. In 203 career games with the Knights, Burnett scored 57 goals and 140 assists for 197 points.
McGill Redmen (1982–1985) Following his junior career, Burnett joined the McGill Redmen of the QUAA where he was recruited and coached by head coach Ken Tyler. In the 1982–83 season he played 38 games scoring 21 goals and 81 points, capturing the Friends of McGill Hockey Trophy as the team's rookie of the year, and winning the CIAU scoring title, and being named an All-conference and All-Canadian selection. In 43 games with McGill in 1983–84, Burnett had 22 goals and 59 points. He appeared in three games with the Redmen in 1984–85, scoring two goals and six points. While at McGill, Burnett was a teammate of future NHL coach Mike Babcock. Burnett graduated from McGill University with a physical education degree in 1985.
Playing statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM1976–77Newmarket FlyersOPJHL — — — — — — — — — —1979–80London KnightsOMJHL6814152921 — — — — —1980–81London KnightsOHL6717597610 — — — — —1981–82London Knights OHL6826669263411221982–83McGill RedmenQUAA3821608129 — — — — —1983–84McGill Redmen QUAA4322375920 — — — — —1984–85McGill RedmenQUAA32460 — — — — — OHL/OMJHL totals 203 57 140 197 94 4 1 1 2 2 QUAA totals 84 45 101 14 49 — — — — —
Coaching career Early career (1985–1989) While in his third year at McGill, Burnett volunteered to coach at Selwyn House School, a private school in the Westmount area of Montreal.
After graduating McGill, he returned home to Port Perry to be an assistant coach for the nearby Uxbridge Bruins of the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League for the 1985–86 season.
For the 1986–87 season, Burnett became head coach of his hometown Port Perry Mojacks in the Central Ontario Junior C Hockey League. Despite finishing fourth place in the 1987–88, the Mojacks won the league playoffs in only Burnett's second season. The Mojacks made it to the Provincial Final of the Clarence Schmalz Cup, but lost to the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League's Mooretown Flags 4 games to 1.
For the 1988–89 season, Burnett became head coach of Seneca College of the OCAA.
Oshawa Generals (1989–1990) Burnett began his OHL coaching career as an assistant coach for the Oshawa Generals in the 1989–90 OHL season, under head coach Rick Cornacchia. Twenty games into the season, Burnett was offered the positions of head coach and general manager of the struggling Niagara Falls Thunder. Despite the strength of the Oshawa squad, the offer was too good to pass up. The Generals would go on to win the OHL championship and the 1990 Memorial Cup with the likes of Eric Lindros.
Niagara Falls Thunder (1989–1992) Twenty games into the season, Niagara Falls Thunder owner Rick Gay fired head coach Bill LaForge and assistant coaches Benny Rogano, and Heavy Evason. Rick Gay was a businessman from Oshawa, Ontario, and used his connection as a former director on the Oshawa Generals to work out a deal with owner John Humphreys to hire Burnett as head coach and general manager. Randy Hall became an assistant coach to Burnett for the remainder of the season. Hall left to become head coach of the Kingston Frontenacs for 1990–91, but returned to Niagara Falls for the 1991–92 season. Niagara Falls native Chris Johnstone was Burnett's assistant coach for the 1990–91 season. In Burnett's three seasons with Niagara Falls, he coached 178 games in the regular season and earned 97 wins. Burnett's teams reached the third round of the playoffs each season, earning 26 postseason victories.
1989–1990 Burnett took over the Niagara Falls Thunder after they began the 1989–90 OHL season with only 4 wins and 2 ties in 20 games (4–14–2). The Thunder initially struggled with only one win in Burnett's first 12 games as coach before turning around. Burnett led Niagara Falls to a record of 19–25–2 during his tenure, and a record of 23–39–4 overall, to earn sixth place and the final playoff spot in the Emms Division. Keith Primeau won the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as the league's leading scorer, with 57 goals, 70 assists, and 127 points. Brad May was second in team scoring with 33 goals, 58 assists, and 91 points. Rounding out the top scorers were Jason Winch (71 points), Paul Laus (48 points) and Andy Bezeau (39 points). In the first round of the playoffs, Niagara faced the first placed London Knights. Burnett's Thunder won the first two games by scores of 7–6, and 5–1, then lost two in a row by scores of 2–6, and 3–5. Niagara pulled out a 3–2 victory in overtime in game five, then won game six by a 6–2 score to win an upset series. In the second round, Burnett's team faced the fourth placed Owen Sound Platers. Niagara lost the first game by a 3–7 score, but then Burnett coach four straight victories by scores of 11–2, 3–2, 4–3, and 7–4 to win the series in five games and earn a trip to the division finals. Niagara faced the second place Kitchener Rangers, trying to pull off a third consecutive upset. The Thunder lost the first two games by 2–5, and 1–5 scores, then won game three by a 6–5 score. The cinderella run by Burnett and Niagara Falls came to an end as the Thunder lost the last two games by 3–5, and 5–10 scores, and lost the series in five games. If Niagara had won the third round, they would have faced Burnett's old team, the Oshawa Generals in the finals.
1990–1991 In the 1990–91 OHL season, Burnett participated in his first OHL draft as a general manager. The Niagara Falls Thunder had five draft picks in the first three rounds. Burnett drafted three future NHLers; first round pick Steve Staios, second round pick Manny Legace, and third round pick Greg de Vries. Staios and Legace had an immediate impact for Burnett's team, however Greg de Vries did not report to Niagara Falls until the 1992–93 season. Burnett had the second highest scoring team in the OHL, with 335 goals scored. The team was led in scoring by second-year centre Todd Simon, with 51 goals, 74 assists, and 125 points. Jason Winch scored 40 goals, 82 assists, and 122 points. Also scoring 30 goals were John Johnson with 38 goals, and Brad May netted 37 goals. Burnett led the Thunder to a 39–18–9 record, earning 87 points and a second-place finish in the Emms Division. In the first round of the playoffs, Niagara Falls faced the fifth place Kitchener Rangers. Burnett's team won the first game 5–4 in overtime, then lost 6–7 in overtime, followed by two wins by 5–1, and 7–4 scores. After losing game five by a 3–4 score, Burnett and the Thunder won the series in six games with a 5–2 victory. In the second round, Niagara Falls faced the fourth place Windsor Spitfires, and swept the series in four games by scores of 7–2, 10–4, 4–3, and 6–5. Burnett had led the Thunder to the Emms Division finals again, and facing the first place Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Niagara Falls was swept in four games by scores of 2–7, 0–2, 4–6, and 3–8. Burnett had greatly improved the Thunder by 37 points over the previous season, and was awarded the Matt Leyden Trophy for OHL Coach of the Year.
1991–1992 Burnett returned for a third year with the Thunder in 1991–92 OHL season, with most of the previous year's team intact. In the OHL draft, Burnett picked future NHLer Ethan Moreau in the first round, and defenceman Ryan Tocher in the second round. Burnett's team topped 300 goals scored for the season. Todd Simon led the team, and the league in scoring with 53 goals, 93 assists, and 146 points, to win the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy. Other top scorers include Kevin Brown with 42 goals, 58 assists, and 100 points; Rick Corriveau with 21 goals, 57 assists, and 78 points; and Ethan Moreau with 20 goals, 36 assists, and 55 points in his rookie season. Burnett led the team to a 39–23–4 record, earning 82 points and second place in the Emms Division. In the playoffs, the Thunder faced the seventh place Detroit Compuware Ambassadors first round. Burnett's team struggled at first against Detroit, a team in its franchise's first playoff appearance. Detroit won the first two games by 3–5, and 3–4 scores. Niagara Falls won game three 8–6, but lost game four by a 3–5 score and was in danger of being eliminated. Burnett rallied his team to three straights wins by 6–3, 8–3, and 7–2 victories to win the series in seven games. In the second round the Thunder faced the third place London Knights. Burnett's team won another three straight games by scores of 4–3 in overtime OT, 4–3, and 5–4 in overtime. After a 2–4 loss in game four, the Thunder won game five by a 5–1 score. To return to the Emms division finals against the first place Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Burnett's team won the first game 8–7, but then lost four straight by 2–7, 5–7, 3–4, and 1–7 scores. Burnett was awarded his second Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year for 1991–92.
Cape Breton Oilers (1992–1994) Burnett was head coach of the Edmonton Oilers' American Hockey League affiliate, the Cape Breton Oilers for two seasons starting in the 1992–93 AHL season. His assistant coach in both seasons was Norm Ferguson, a local NHL and WHA veteran forward from Sydney, Nova Scotia. In his first season with the club, Burnett led Cape Breton to a 36–32–12 record, earning 84 points and third place in the Atlantic Division, earning a playoff berth. Dan Currie led the team with 98 points in the regular season. Burnett led the Oilers through the first round of playoffs defeating the second place Fredericton Canadiens in five games, and defeated the first place St. John's Maple Leafs in four games. Cape Breton defeated the Springfield Indians in two games of a best-of-three series with the winner advancing to the finals. Burnett's Oilers defeated the Rochester Americans in five games to capture the first Calder Cup in franchise history. The Oilers charge through the playoffs was led by Bill McDougall, scoring 26 goals and 26 assists in 16 games and being awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player of playoffs.