Brian Burke Is the President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He Is Also

BRIAN BURKE

Brian Burke is the President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is also the General Manager for the United States national men's ice hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He was the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Anaheim Ducks from 2005 to 2008. He joined the Ducks after ending a sixth and final season as Vancouver Canucks President and General Manager, where he built the Vancouver Canucks back into a playoff contender and reconnected a hockey town with its favorite team. Under Burke’s leadership, in 2001-02 the Canucks finished the regular season with the NHL’s hottest team, the third highest point total in team history, and a second straight playoff berth.

Shortly after taking over GM duties with the Ducks, Burke began to reshape the club’s roster and hockey operations staff. Burke put together an on-ice product designed to produce offensive-minded, aggressive hockey built around speed and physical play. As a result of these changes, in 2007, Burke successfully led the Anaheim Ducks on to becoming Stanley Cup Champions.

Burke became the Canucks General Manager on June 22, 1998, becoming the eighth GM in franchise history. He was committed to strengthening the organization’s financial position, as well as finding long-term financial solutions for the Canadian based NHL teams. He was committed to running the hockey club as a business with a responsible payroll while improving the team’s performance. His work in Vancouver was formally recognized in June 2001 when his fellow General Managers voted for him to be named The Sporting News “NHL Executive of the Year”.

Born in New England and raised in Minnesota, Burke originally joined the Canucks in June 1987 as Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations. He left the Canucks in 1992 to become general manager of the Hartford Whalers, where he began rebuilding the club with several player transactions, including the acquisition of NHL-standout Chris Pronger.

Burke joined the NHL front office as Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations in September of 1993. While at the league office, he served as the chief disciplinarian, ruling on violations for on-ice player conduct. He worked closely with Commissioner Gary Bettman on league direction, including collective bargaining matters. Burke also played a key role in bringing NHL hockey to Japan in October of 1997, as the Ducks played the Canucks twice to open the season in Tokyo.

After earning his Bachelor of Arts in History from Providence University in 1977, Burke signed professionally with the Philadelphia Flyers. He played for the Marine Mariners (Flyers’ AHL affiliate) during the 1977-78 season, which culminated in a Calder Cup Championship. He then returned to school and graduated from Harvard Law in 1981. Burke practiced law in Boston for the next six years, representing professional hockey players until he joined the Canucks in 1987.

In Vancouver, Burke was an active member of the community and long-time advocate of ensuring the health and survival of hockey in Canada. He served on the Board of Directors for Canuck Place, and was a spokesperson for Ducks Unlimited, Canada, Inc. In addition, he served as an Adjunct Professor at the British Columbia University School of Law and is a member of the National Sports Law Institute and Sports Lawyers Association.

Brian and his wife Jennifer currently reside in Yorba Linda. They have six children: Katie, Patrick, Brendan, Molly, Mairin and Fiona Grace.