In 1987, he was hired by Pat Quinn to be the director of hockey operations for the Vancouver Canucks. In the 1992–93 season, he left that job to become general manager of the Hartford Whalers. Burke stepped down[6] after one year in Hartford, so he could join the NHL front office as executive vice president and director of hockey operations, under league commissioner Gary Bettman. In that role, he served as the league's chief disciplinarian.
Vancouver Canucks
The Sedins with the Vancouver Canucks. Burke drafted both players in the first round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft as the general manager of the Canucks.
In 1998, he became general manager of the Vancouver Canucks.[7] With the Canucks, he was credited with reviving the ailing franchise and increasing attendance, with the drafting and signing of several key players such as Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and Ryan Kesler, as the team won a playoff series and captured a division title. Following the 2003–04 NHL season, Canucks ownership chose not to renew Burke's contract for the GM position. Burke then briefly worked as an analyst for NHL games on both CBC and TSN. Burke's total record with the Canucks was 219-181-68-24.
Criticism
Brian Burke faced public criticism for his treatment of forward Peter Zezel. Zezel had requested he be traded to an East Coast team in order to be closer to Toronto where he could see and spend more time with his 5-year old niece who had terminal cancer. Instead, Burke sent Zezel out to the Anaheim Ducks, the NHL city furthest away from Toronto. As a result, Zezel retired from the NHL. Only after public and media outcry did Burke decide to buy out Zezel's contract.[8]
Anaheim Ducks
As the 2004-05 NHL Lockout was coming to a close, Burke was announced as the next GM of the Anaheim Ducks. In his first year with the club, the Ducks made it all the way to the third round before falling to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final. The following year, Burke won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in the 2006–07 NHL season. Burke stepped down as GM of the Anaheim Ducks on November 12, 2008.[9] The Ducks management submitted papers to the NHL, releasing him from contractual commitment.
Toronto Maple Leafs
On November 29, 2008, Burke was introduced as the president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, replacing interim general manager Cliff Fletcher.[10] He became the 13th non-interim general manager of the club and the first to be American-born. He reportedly agreed to a six-year deal worth $3 million annually. Soon thereafter, on December 4, 2008, Burke offered Dave Nonis the position of senior vice president and director of hockey operations for the Maple Leafs; Nonis accepted, marking the third time he has held this post under Burke; he had done so previously in Anaheim and Vancouver.[11]
Burke attended the World Hockey Summit hosted in Toronto in 2010, and wanted NHL participation in the Winter Olympics to continue, but felt that teams should receive financial compensation while the NHL season was on hiatus during the Olympics. He proposed allowing the NHL oversee a world championship which had potential to a financially lucrative venture while league games were not being played.[12]
On January 9, 2013, Burke was fired by the Leafs as president and general manager and given a role as senior advisor to MLSE's president and C.O.O. Tom Anselmi and the MLSE board of directors.[13] The advisory role would not relate to hockey matters. Burke was fired principally by team director George A. Cope, who campaigned for the team's new ownership to make a change in team leadership.[14] During Burke's tenure with the Leafs from November 2008 to January 2013, the team consistently failed to make the post-season and remained the only team in the League unable to do so following the 2004 lockout. With the Leafs, Burke amassed a record of 129-135-42.[15]
Criticism
Phil Kessel with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kessel was acquired by the Leafs as a result of a controversial trade by Burke in 2009.
During his time in Toronto, Burke was notably criticized for a controversial trade in 2009 with Boston, when he acquired sniper Phil Kessel for two first-round draft picks and a second-round selection. The Bruins used the picks to select star forward Tyler Seguin, Dougie Hamilton and Jared Knight.
In December 2011, Burke drew criticism in the media for his mid-season extension of head coach Ron Wilson, a longtime friend. "Burke and Wilson were born a month apart, were college roommates and teammates on the Providence College Friars hockey team in Rhode Island in the 1970s and have been friends ever since.[16][17] Despite Wilson's three consecutive losing seasons, Burke renewed Wilson's contract with a $2 million extension.[18] News of the contract broke on social media site Twitter, where Wilson posted that "This Xmas could be better if Santa stuffs a certain piece of paper in my stocking" and "'He came! He came!' [...] I got a new Red Ryder BB gun and a contract extension!", to which Burke replied, "Congratulations to Ron Wilson on his contract extension! Merry Christmas Ron!"[19] Later, Burke defended his decision in the media, stating "This is a coach who's earned this, a coach who's earned this extension," and "It's not charity. It's not a gift."[20] However, Wilson was released with full pay three months later following mounting losses and jeers from fans. "Every coach has a shelf life," Burke said. "After the last home game, it would be cruel and unusual punishment to let Ron coach another game in the Air Canada Centre."[21]
Calgary Flames
Burke attending a CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in 2014.
On September 5, 2013, Burke was named the president of hockey operations for the Calgary Flames.[22] After firing Jay Feaster and John Weisbrod, Burke assumed the role of acting general manager during the search for a permanent GM. On April 28, 2014, Burke hired Brad Treliving as the GM of the Calgary Flames.[23]
After nearly five years on the job, Burke stepped back from his role as president of the Flames' hockey operations on April 27, 2018.[24]
Pittsburgh Penguins
On February 9, 2021, Burke was hired as the President of Hockey Operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins. On April 14, 2023, the Penguins announced that they had fired Burke after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2005–06, ending a 16 year playoff appearance streak for the organization.[25]
PWHLPA
On August 29, 2023, Burke was named as the Executive Director of the Professional Women’s Hockey League Players Association, the player union for the newly formed Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL).[26] At the inaugural PWHL draft on September 18, Burke stated it was "the biggest day in the history of women's hockey", and he went on to explain his optimism about the new league: "For the first time, we've got one united league. Properly funded, properly staffed, properly backed up. It's the best chance women have had."[27]
Burke attends a tribute for his son Brendan Burke, on February 5, 2011.
Burke also has four children from a previous marriage, including Patrick, a former scout for the Philadelphia Flyers[33] and as of 2015 a director in the NHL's Department of Player Safety.[34] Burke is a strong supporter of gay rights and attended the 2009 Toronto Gay Pride Parade with his son Brendan Burke, who was gay.[35]
On February 5, 2010, Brendan died at age 21 from injuries suffered in a car accident in Indiana.[36]
Brian Burke also participated in the 2010 and 2011 Toronto Gay Pride parades. On March 4, 2012, Burke and his son Patrick launched the You Can Play project in honor of Brendan, which is targeted at ending homophobia in sports.[37]
Defamation lawsuit filed against anonymous posters
On April 26, 2013, Burke filed a lawsuit against 18 individuals who had anonymously posted on websites that the actual reason Burke was fired from the Maple Leafs was for allegedly having an affair with a female sportscaster and fathering her child. Burke said the claims were false and defamatory. He sued to seek court orders disclosing the names of those who posted the accusations.[38]
Burke was able to achieve a minor victory in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, which ruled that anonymous defendants could be served notice of the proceedings through the private messaging on the message boards they had used to make the statements about Burke. As of April 2014[update], Burke and his legal team had tracked down the identities of several of the individuals and forced them to make retractions.[needs update][39]
