The demise of Alex Burrows started the moment John Tortorella stepped onto the bench to coach the Vancouver Canucks. The Tortorella experiment was a disaster for a number of reasons but perhaps the most lasting effect he had on this team was his treatment of Burrows. At one point, Tortorella apparently requested the team buy out the contract of Burrows.
Burrows had his worst statistical year under Tortorella, recording just 15 points in 49 games while battling injuries because of Tortorella’s insane policy of having everybody on the team block shots.
In the post-Tortorella era, Burrows lost his spot with the Sedins to Radim Vrbata, who was promised that spot when he joined the Canucks as a free agent.