After a year of denying he was taking the job, he finally takes the job everyone knew he was getting.
Brian Burke is the new GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Brian Burke has been linked to the Leafs job for more than a year but the speculation intensified once he parted ways with the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 13. A news conference is expected Saturday in Toronto.
Cliff Fletcher was hired as interim general manager of the Maple Leafs in January, and said at the time his goal was to “set the table” for the man who would permanently hold down the job after him.
Burke recently turned down a contract extension to remain general manager of the Ducks, citing the need to spend more time with his family and the strong state of the team he helped turn into a Stanley Cup champion as reasons for leaving.
He was replaced by Bob Murray on Nov. 12 and remained with the Ducks as a special consultant to CEO Michael Schulman through the transition period.
Burke, 53, explained that he wants to spend more time with his six children and that 11 years of commuting coast to coast was enough for him.
Burke and Schulman had discussed the possibility for 11 months and Burke made his decision Nov. 1.
“This is the toughest decision I’ve ever had in my life, professionally, as far as what to do next,” Burke said then. “I’ve been wrestling with the decision. I’ve got four older children on the East Coast and two little ones [4½ and 2½], and I don’t see any of them enough. So I felt if I can get a chance to get in the same time zone with them, I’m going to take it.”
The Ducks allowed him to immediately pursue positions even though his contract with the team wasn’t set to expire until next summer.
Credit: ESPN
