Brian Burke leaves after speaking about his dismissal as the general manager of the NHL team the Toronto Maple Leafs at a news conference in Toronto on Saturday.MARK BLINCH/Reuters
Brian Burke is back in NHL rinks as he waits for his next opportunity to be a general manager.
The former Toronto Maple Leafs president and GM went back to his previous employer, the Anaheim Ducks, as a part-time pro scout on Wednesday. He and the Leafs terminated his contract as a senior advisor to team owner Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which was put in place after Burke was fired as GM on Jan. 9.
"Brian and I discussed this opportunity after Anaheim approached the Leafs for permission to speak with him about a possible scouting role," MLSE president Tom Anselmi said in a statement released by the Leafs. "We both agreed that taking this role with Anaheim would best position Brian for his next general manager opportunity in the League."
Burke is back in play just in time for a fresh round of speculation about where he is headed next. The Buffalo Sabres are the team getting the most mentions, as they fired head coach Lindy Ruff on Wednesday and many think owner Terry Pegula is considering whether to do the same to GM Darcy Regier considering the team has missed the playoffs in three of the last five seasons and is at the bottom of the Northeast Division, with a 6-10-1 record before Thursday's game against the Leafs. Also getting some mention is the Washington Capitals, who are last in the Eastern Conference with a 5-9-1 record, prior to their Thursday night game against New Jersey.
In the meantime, Burke's old friend Bob Murray is happy to have his former boss back with the Ducks. "Anytime you can add a person of his quality to your staff, it makes your organization better," the Ducks GM said. "We've had success working together before and look forward to doing it again."