Brian Burke pens letter thanking Flames, fans

Brian Burke wrote a letter thanking the Calgary Flames organization and its fans following a five-year tenure as the club's president of hockey operations.

Here are a few excerpts from the gesture, which was published in Sunday's Calgary Sun:

"I close on my home in Calgary at the end of this month, and head east. Before I go, I wanted to express my gratitude for my five seasons in Calgary. I enjoyed every second of my time here and made lots of friends. The city is friendly, clean, and beautiful, and I feel privileged and blessed to have been able to live and work here."

"Thanks to Ken King for selecting me to head up Hockey Operations for the Flames.

Thanks, and good luck to Brad Treliving, Don Maloney and Bill Peters. The team is in good shape, and in great hands. The future of the Flames is bright.

Thanks to Brad Pascall, Connie and the doctors, trainers. Flames coaches, Stockton coaches, and all the scouts.
Thanks to the players, especially Gio. It has been an honour to be your teammate. Good luck to you all.

And lastly, thank you to the fans in Calgary and Southern Alberta. You are so knowledgeable, so loyal, so kind and so loud! You made the Saddledome a tough barn for visiting teams. You made my five seasons unforgettable."

Burke stepped down from his role with the Flames in late April after joining the organization in 2013. Following the split, he joined Sportsnet as an analyst for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 63-year-old has an executive resume that spans three decades, and includes roles with the Hartford Whalers, the Vancouver Canucks, the Anaheim Ducks - where he won a Stanley Cup in 2007 - the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Flames.