New Jersey Coach Has Cancer

New Jersey Devil Coach Pat Burns has colon cancer and will begin treatment immediately, he said Sunday, a day after the defending Stanley Cup champions were knocked out of the playoffs.

Burns, 52, said his status with the team would be determined in six to eight weeks, when the treatment ends.

He will undergo treatment five days a week beginning this week, he said.

“I’ve never backed down from any fight. And I’m not going to back down from this one,” he said.

Burns made the announcement at a news conference at Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, N.J., that was also attended by his wife and Devil General Manager Lou Lamoriello. Burns read from a prepared statement and did not answer questions.

A three-time NHL coach of the year, Burns led the Devils to their third Stanley Cup title in nine seasons last season, his first with the team.

New Jersey lost to Philadelphia, 3-1, Saturday, losing the best-of-seven opening-round series in five games.

“I wasn’t the coach I should have been the last couple of weeks, but I had a lot of things on my mind, so it was understandable,” he said.

Burns insisted on coaching the Devils in the first round, but he said treatment would have prevented him from coaching if they had advanced.