College hockey alumni Brian Burke (Providence), Katie King Crowley (Brown, Boston College) and Brian Murphy (Hockey East) will be enshrined into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame as members of the class of 2023.
They are joined by Dustin Brown and Jamie Langenbrunner.
“It’s an amazing class and a group that truly reflects extraordinary,” said Mike Trimboli, president of USA Hockey, in a statement. “Their accomplishments are varied and far-reaching, and the positive impact they’ve had on the game — and will continue to have — will no doubt benefit generations to come.”
Burke was born in Providence but grew up in Minnesota and attended Edina High School where he was a standout on the hockey team. He returned to the East Coast and played college hockey for Providence where he served as captain his senior season. Burke then played one full season in the AHL with the Maine Mariners, helping the team to a Calder Cup championship, before hanging up his skates and attending Harvard Law School, where he graduated in 1981.
He went on work as an NHL player agent before joining the Vancouver Canucks front office in 1987 for a five-year stint as director of hockey operations. Burke briefly served as general manager of the Hartford Whalers before joining the NHL office as executive vice president and director of hockey operations, where he worked for six seasons.
Burke’s next stop was as general manager for the Vancouver Canucks, notably acquiring Hockey Hall of Fame players Daniel and Henrik Sedin during his tenure. He then moved on to serve as executive vice president of hockey operations and general manager of the Anaheim Ducks, where he oversaw the franchise winning its first-ever Stanley Cup championship in 2007.
Burke was tabbed as president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2010 before being hired three years later by the Calgary Flames as president of hockey operations, a role he also held for parts of three seasons (2020-23) with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Today, he serves as the first-ever executive director of the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association.
While his work in the NHL has been at the forefront, Burke has supported U.S. efforts on the international stage and was a driver in USA Hockey establishing the U.S. Men’s National Team Advisory Group in 2007 to assist with the selection of players and staff for top international events. Burke was an original member of the group and served with other U.S. general managers for nearly a decade.
As general manager of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team, Burke was the lead architect in building a team that earned the silver medal. He also served as director of player personnel for the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and had management roles for U.S. Men’s National Teams for the 2009 and 2010 IIHF Men’s World Championships and 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Burke has also worked in broadcasting during his career, including as an analyst for both Rogers and Sportsnet.
A strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights, Burke established the You Can Play project that targets homophobia and promoting safety and inclusion in sports, in honor of his late son, Brendan.
A three-time Olympic medalist, King Crowley, from Salem, N.H., was one of the most dynamic scorers in the world during her nine-year (1997-2006) playing career with the U.S. Women’s National Team. Today, she continues to be an important contributor to the growth and development of the game, including through her role as the head coach of the Boston College women’s ice hockey team.
King Crowley, with eight points (four goals, four assists) in six games, helped the U.S. capture the very first gold medal awarded in women’s hockey at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. She went on to also earn an Olympic silver medal in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and helped Team USA to a bronze medal at the 2006 Games in Torino, Italy. King Crowley has 14 total Olympic goals, which put her tied for first in the U.S. record books, and her 23 Olympic points (14 goals, nine assists) are fourth best.
King Crowley also donned the stars and stripes at six IIHF Women’s World Championships where she helped the U.S. to its first-ever gold medal in 2005 and silver-medal finishes in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2004.
King Crowley competed in 223 career games with the U.S. Women’s National Team and ranks third all-time with 278 points (153 goals, 125 assists).
She attended Brown where she was a standout athlete in both hockey and softball. She is a three-time Ivy League player of the year in hockey (1995, 1996, 1997) and was also named ECAC player of the year in 1997. She is the Bears’ all-time leader in points with 206 (123 goals, 83 assists) in 100 career games. King Crowley was also the Ivy League player of the year (1996) and Ivy League pitcher of the year (1997) in softball.
Following her retirement as a player in 2006, King Cowley joined the Boston College women’s team as an assistant coach before assuming the head coaching position in 2007. In 16 seasons behind the Eagles’ bench, King Crowley has guided BC to six NCAA Frozen Fours (2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017), 11 NCAA tournaments (2009, 2011-2019, 2021), five Hockey East regular-season titles (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18), three Hockey East tournament championships (2011, 2016, 2017) and six Beanpot crowns (2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018).
Additionally, King Crowley served as an assistant coach for two U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Teams at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship, helping Team USA to gold in 2009 and silver in 2010.
Murphy, a Dover, N.H., native, is one of two Americans and just eight individuals all time to officiate over 2,000 NHL regular-season games. During his 32-year career (1988-2020), Murphy officiated nine Stanley Cup Finals and 304 playoff games, as well as other high-profile NHL events like the 1999 NHL All-Star Game in Tampa, Fla., and the 2010 Winter Classic at Fenway Park in Boston.
Murphy also boasts an accomplished international officiating resume, including working the 2004 and 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, B.C.
Murphy served as the president of the NHL Officials Association from 2008 to 2015 and was also on the organization’s executive board from 1994 to 1999.
Murphy made his NHL debut in 1988 in a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals and was promoted to a full-time NHL linesman for the 1990 season. As an official during the NHL’s transition period to the two-referee system, Murphy is one of a few officials to work as both a referee and a linesman.
Having played hockey throughout high school, Murphy began officiating as a student while attending New Hampshire in 1983 and worked his way up from youth and adult games to New Hampshire high school games. Murphy made the switch to linesman when he began officiating Hockey East games during the 1986-87 NCAA season and went on to officiate the 1988 Beanpot, Hockey East and NCAA Frozen Four championship games.
Murphy, who for three decades has been an instructor at USA Hockey officiating development camps, worked the 1986 and 1987 U.S Olympic Festivals where he caught the eye of NHL officiating scouts.
Murphy currently serves as the supervisor of men’s officials for Hockey East.
The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame induction celebration, which will feature the formal enshrinement of the class of 2023 and also include the presentation of the NHL’s Lester Patrick Trophy, will be held Dec. 6 in Boston. Additional details will be provided later this month.
