BURKE NAMED ECHL EQUIPMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR

BURKE NAMED ECHL EQUIPMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR

For Immediate Release: April 20, 2020

                                                                                          

BURKE NAMED ECHL EQUIPMENT MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Two-Time Kelly Cup Champion Earns Second League Honor

 

Cincinnati, OH- The Cincinnati Cyclones, in conjunction with the ECHL, have announced that Chris Burke is the recipient of the 2019-20 ECHL Equipment Manager of the Year Award, presented by Warrior Hockey. This award is determined by a vote of the equipment managers and athletic trainers from around the ECHL, and this is the second time Burke has received this honor, who also took home the award in 2005-06 with the Fresno Falcons.

“It’s an honor to receive this prestigious award, and I am humbled to have been chosen by my peers from around the League,” commented Burke. “This really is a team award and does not happen without the help and support of our players and staff.”

A native of Cincinnati, OH, Burke recently completed his 17th season as an equipment manager in the ECHL, with 15 of those years coming in Cincinnati. After serving as an assistant equipment manager in the late 90’s with the ‘Clones, he became Cincinnati’s full-time equipment manager prior to the 2003-04 season, before leaving for a pair of one-year stints with the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies and Falcons in from 2004-2006. He worked with current Cyclones head coach Matt Thomas in both locations, and in addition to earning his first Equipment Manager of the Year Award in Fresno, he was also named to the staff of the 2006 ECHL All-Star Game while with the Falcons, as well.  

“Chris is one of the best equipment managers I have ever seen in this business at any level, and in my opinion, he should win this award every year,” remarked Thomas. “Having known him since our time in Atlantic City, his growth and development both personally and professionally has been amazing to watch, and an NHL team would be lucky to have someone like him in their organization. Our players benefit greatly from having someone with such great attention to detail and passion for what he does on our staff.”  

Burke returned to Cincinnati prior to the 2006-07 season and has been a member of two Kelly Cup Championship teams; in 2008 and again in 2010, and was part of the 2014 team that reached the Kelly Cup Finals. He was selected to the staff of the 2018 CCM/ECHL All-Star Classic in 2018 in Indianapolis, IN, and worked his 1,000th professional game during the 2018-19 season. 

 

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the 2019-20 Cincinnati Cyclones season has come to a close. We want to thank you for your support this season, as well as for your support through this difficult time for all of us. We invite you to stay up-to-date on all the latest team updates and information through our websitewww.cycloneshockey.com, as well as on Facebook, and Twitter and Instagram (@CincyCyclones). We are looking forward to a prosperous and successful 2020-21 season, and plan to pick up right where we left off starting on the weekend of October 16-17 for First Face-off!