Leafs mourn loss of GM’s son

The Toronto Maple Leafs are in mourning today as they react to the loss of GM Brian Burke’s youngest son Brendan, who died in a car crash on Friday. Brendan Burke, 21, along with Mark Reedy, 18, died in a two-car crash during a snow storm.

“It’s really sad, obviously. I don’t think we can comprehend what Brian is going through,” said Leafs goaltender J.S. Giguere. “Yes, we’re in shock. It’s not supposed to go that way. It’s a very tough day.”

Brendan made headlines earlier this year when he went public with homosexuality while he was a student manager at the University of Miami (OH). This was a huge deal because no player, manager or coach has even come out publicly in this way. It was an extremely big deal for him to go forward with that.

Giguere, who came to Toronto just last week, was asked what the players could do as professionals to help out Burke in this time.

“Just work extremely hard so that (Brian Burke) won’t have to worry about that,” Giguere said.