Career
He played in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs. Growing up in Toronto, Burrows learned to skate at the Pine Point Outdoor Arena in nearby Etobicoke. As a teenager Burrows was selected the Most Valuable Defenseman and a First Team All-Star with the Dixie Beehives of the Metro Junior.
B League.
Originally the property of the Chicago Blackhawks organization, Burrows played his junior hockey with the Ontario Hockey Association"s Saint Catharines Black Hawks before turning pro with the Central Hockey League"s Dallas Black Hawks in 1969. The defenseman would ultimately never play a game in Chicago, being claimed by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League"s intra-league draft in June 1971. Burrows" hero while growing up was Tim Horton.
Burrows had the opportunity to play as the defence partner of his idol for one year, when Horton joined the Penguins for the 1971-1972 season.
Burrows credits Horton and Red Kelly, his coach that season, for helping him become successful at the National Hockey League level Burrows was selected as the Penguins "rookie of the year" for 1971-1972.
In his third season, he was chosen as the Penguins" team Most Valuable Player. In 1976, Burrows was selected to represent Canada in the Canada Cup Tournament. Chosen as a defensive replacement for future Hockey Hall of Fame member Bobby Orr, Burrows did not play in the tournament as Orr earned Most Valuable Player honours.
A two-time all-star as a Penguin, Burrows was traded to Toronto for Randy Carlyle and George Ferguson in the spring of 1978.
After two and a half seasons playing in his hometown (including another All-Star appearance in 1980), the defenceman was traded back to Pittsburgh along with Paul Gardner in exchange for Kim Davis and Paul Marshall early in the 1980-1981 season. He is third all-time in games played among Penguins defensemen (573).