May 31, 2008 Brian Burke's wife no longer a CBC host; Toronto beckons? By Charlie Smith Georgia Strait Website Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke's wife Jennifer is still listed on the CBC Web site as the host of the Vancouver-based Living Vancouver television show.
However, CBC has posted her position internally. Staff have been told that Jennifer Burke won't be back for another season on the fluffy lifestyle program, which focuses on food, fashion, and the good life.
That removes one obstacle to her husband Brian taking over as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
There is no shortage of broadcasters inside the CBC building in Vancouver who would do a capable job as Jennifer Burke's replacement.
Meanwhile, the Globe and Mail reported this week that "the porch light is still on in Toronto" for Brian Burke.
Anaheim Ducks owner Henry Samueli has pushed Burke to remain in California to serve the final year of his contract. However, the Globe stated that Burke has not signed the contract extension.
This one is a long way from being over...and now might be a prudent time to place a bet that both Burkes will be in Toronto before the start of the next hockey season.
"Removes one obstacle" to him taking the job - who writes crap like that? The only obstacle appears to be his existing contract. Her fluff journalism gig is not in the Leafs way.
Burke resigns as Ducks GM; Bob Murray takes over November 12, 2008
Craig Custance Sporting News
Brian Burke said it came down to family. He has four children living three time zones away and making the commute from California to visit took its toll. That's why he turned down a contract extension offer from the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 1 and resigned from his post as the general manager Wednesday.
Bob Murray, Anaheim's senior vice president of hockey operations, was named Burke's replacement.
Although Burke's contract does not run out until season's end, he agreed with the team that it made sense to let Murray assume control now.
"I've been wrestling with the decision on what to do next career-wise, and it is based on family factors," Burke said in a press conference. "I told (CEO Michael Schulman) we should talk about what to do next. I said, 'I'll do whatever you people want, stay until the end of the year -- I'll step up, I'll step down, because I'm the one who triggered the whole thing.' "
For now, Burke will work in a consultant role for the team, though Schulman said Burke will be free to negotiate with other teams within the next two weeks for another GM job. Once the Ducks file the necessary paperwork with the league, Burke can talk to anyone.
Burke's resignation further fuels speculation that it's only a matter of time until he is hired by the Maple Leafs to be their general manager.
On Wednesday, Burke said nothing is certain.
"I'm going to be asked what's next. The answer is I don't know," Burke said. "I'm going to try and get off the payroll as quickly as I can. I don't want to draw any pay here after I don't have a useful role."
He declined to comment specifically on Toronto, saying that today is more about Murray's first day as the Ducks' GM than about Burke's future.
One thing is clear: Burke leaves the Ducks in better shape than he found them, which has to be the goal of any executive.
He's the first (and only) GM to bring a Stanley Cup to California, winning it with the Ducks in 2007.
The team has cap issues, but at the same time it also has one of the best big-game goalies in Jean-Sebastien Giguere and two of the league's best young forwards in Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry.
That doesn't mean Murray won't put his imprint on the current team, which has been inconsistent this season. The new GM said that ultimately it's up to the players if he needs to make changes to the current roster.
"They're going to dictate what happens next," Murray said. "They're a veteran team. I know they're waiting for the playoffs to come around, but you have to get there first. That's something I'm going to address with them immediately."
Craig Custance is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ccustance@sportingnews.com.
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke has made an attempt to strengthen his front office, offering Dave Nonis the position of Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations.
The offer was made Thursday morning, however Nonis hasn't accepted the position yet, and negotiations are ongoing.
A decision is expected by the weekend.
Nonis worked under Burke for six years as the Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations for the Canucks before replacing Burke in 2004.
In three seasons in the general manager's role, his most significant transaction was trading forward Todd Bertuzzi to the Florida Panthers for goaltender Roberto Luongo at the conclusion of his first season in his role.
Golf reporter Barry Sharpe (http://www.BCGolfNews.com) had this bit of news in his column a day ago. Shows just how busy Burke is these days in TO.
Tee 2 Green - - Brian Burke To Address The Golf Industry
Having just arrived on the scene to take over the helm of Toronto's NHL Maple Leafs as President and General Manager; with the demands being put on him by Toronto's notoriously nosy media and with the size of a new multi-million dollar contract he's alleged to have signed with a promise to become the next Punch Imlach, it's surprising to learn that one of Brian Burke's early non-hockey assignments is to be a Keynote speaker at the 2009 Ontario Golf Course Management Conference & Trade Show at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel January 22nd.
Love the title of his speech: "Most People Don't Want to Lead; Most People Want to Be Led"
For the Ontario Golf Superintendents Association, who host this annual Conference, this will be quite a departure from last year's Keynote speaker, Dr. Frank Rossi, who provided an update on the mowing management and surface grooming (vertical mowing, topdressing, rolling and brushing) research currently being done at Cornell University in New York State. His speech was entitled: "Putting Surface Management For Optimum Ball Roll."
Perhaps there's a tie-in there somewhere since Burke was hired to get the ball rolling at Maple Leaf Gardens.
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