Burtnyk enters his 12th season on the men's basketball coaching staff following an illustrious career from 2004-08, in which he guided the Warriors to 54 total wins and a NCAA Tournament berth in his final year.

With the help of Burtnyk, the Warriors won the 2019-20 NEC Regular Season Championship, becoming the first team ever to win a conference title in its first season of Division I membership. Burtnyk helped Merrimack to 20 victories last year, the programs third straight season with at least 20 wins. Burtnyk helped senior Juvaris Hayes to an All-American season that included an NEC Defensive Player of the Year Award, all-conference first-team selection, and the Lefty Driesell Award as the top defensive player in the country.

The coaching staff also saw multiple student-athletes reach new heights as well. Idris Joyner established career highs in scoring. Devin Jensen set career highs in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage.

The long-time Warrior was part of his first-ever conference championship in 2018-19, assisting the program to its first NE10 Championship since the 1999-00 season and third conference tournament title in school history overall. Burtnyk helped Merrimack to a school-record 22 victories, a number the program has now reached five times overall, and a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament's East Regional, the highest seed for the program ever. Burtnyk saw junior Juvaris Hayes earn All-American status for the second straight year as well as receiving NE10 Defensive Player of the Year and NE10 All-Conference First Team accolades. Senior Ryan Boulter also was an all-league selection, landing on the third team. In the regular season, Merriamck won 14 NE10 games and finished second in the Northeast Division. Both marks tied the second most since the NE10 moved to a divisional format. 

The 2017-18 campaign saw continued excellence for the program. Burtnyk helped the program to its first 20-win season in nearly a decade and ninth overall, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second time in as many seasons. The assistant helped the Warriors to 14 Northeast-10 Conference wins, which were the most for the program since 2009-10. Merrimack finished second in the Northeast Division, the program's highest finish since the NE10 moved to a divisional format in 2013-14.

In 2016-17, Burtnyk contributed to the development of seven returning players along with compiling an impressive recruting class that allowed the Warriors to shock many in the region. After being selected to finish second-to-last in the Northeast Division, the Warriors posted 12 league victories and 19 overall, earned a conference tournament berth and reached the program's ninth NCAA Tournament as an at-large selection. Merrimack went on to upset top-seeded Le Moyne as the No. 8 seed, the lone eighth seed to advance out of the regional quarterfinals nationwide. 

Over the 10 years of Burtnyk's stint on the sidelines, the program owns a 162-125 record (.564) with four of the school's 10 NCAA Tournament berths in tow. The Warriors have finished above .500 in seven of his 10 seasons as part of the Merrimack staff. 

Other highlights of Burtnyk's coaching resume include a debut season in 2009-10 that saw the Warriors win 21 games, reach the NCAA Tournament and total a program-record tying 16 NE10 wins. Merrimack also finished above .500 in 2011-12, 2014-15 and 2015-16. 

In his playing career Burtnyk tallied 830 points and also holds the Merrimack standard for points in his collegiate debut with 26.

Burtnyk lives in Worcester, Mass. with his wife Erin their daughters Ellie and Emma.