Brian Burke addressed a crowd of 400 business students, teachers and hockey fans on Wednesday at the University of Toronto. Bruke talked about the need for ruthlessness to be an effective GM. “I’ve done more good things for my players over time than I have ruthless things, but I will do what’s necessary to make our team better. If that’s hard on a family, I’m still going to do it. The average person doesn’t have that. It’s a lonely side of the business. I think the average person in North America wants very little to do with leadership because of the loneliness of the role, because of the difficulties of the decisions. I think the average person wants to be competently and honestly led, rather than driving the bus. They wouldn’t mind being in the front seat making suggestions, but they don’t want the wheel — because, goddamnit, it’s too lonely.”