Stu Burnie

Stu Burnie is one of Orillia’s top hockey players of all time. Burnie was a charter member of the Orillia Hockey Wall of Fame and, last year, was named one of Orillia‘s Top 10 Hockey Players of All-Time as part of the city’s sesquicentennial celebration. He earned a full scholarship to play Division I NCAA Hockey at Western Michigan University, where he was a scoring star that catapulted his team into one of the top teams in collegiate hockey. The skilled forward had two stints playing for Team Canada and was named the MVP in a memorable game at Copps coliseum in which he scored two goals to lead Canada to a 4-3 triumph over the Russians. He also shone in the American Hockey League and International Hockey League after inking a two-year deal with the New York Islanders.

Burnie was also an outstanding Lacrosse Player and led the Ontario Lacrosse Association in scoring once, he is one of only four people from Orillia to ever do that.

Burnie returned to Orillia after his impressive hockey career and was a teacher at Harriett Todd public school for more than a quarter century.