Over the years, Burrows' agitating presence has become such a staple of the Vancouver Canucks that it's easy to forget the persistence it took for him to reach the NHL. He has killed penalties, worked the power play and excelled in a checking role.

Patience and persistence, both on the ice and in launching a pro hockey career, were the calling card for the forward born in Pincourt, Quebec.

Undrafted but undeterred after two seasons at the junior level, including a 35-goal, 70-point second year for Shawinigan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in 2001-02, Burrows headed to the East Coast Hockey League to begin working his way up the ladder.

Suiting up for Greenville, Baton Rouge and Columbia, he eventually caught the eye of Manitoba of the American Hockey League in 2004.

Called up by the Canucks midway through the 2005-06 season, Burrows made his NHL debut on Jan. 2, 2006, and got his first NHL goal and assist on Jan. 10, 2006, in a 4-3 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Used primarily in a defensive role, killing penalties and irking opponents, Burrows finished the season with seven goals and 12 points in 43 games.

The offensive side to his game also developed quickly. From 2008-12, Burrows never scored fewer than 26 goals in a season, and had a high of 35 in 2009-10. That was the season he scored back-to-back hat tricks: Jan. 5 against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Jan. 7 against the Phoenix Coyotes.

It marked the first time a Canucks player had scored consecutive hat tricks since Petri Skriko in 1986.

In 2010-11, Burrows played a major role as Vancouver finished with a franchise-best 117 points to win the Presidents' Trophy and advance to the Stanley Cup Final.