Brian Burke Brian P . Burke ( born June 30 , 1955 in Providence , Rhode Island ) is an american - canadian hockey executive aacting as Senior advisor of the Anaheim Ducks and was the General Manager for the United States national men ' s ice hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver . Early Life and Career . Born in Providence , Rhode Island and raised in Edina , Minnesota , Burke graduated from Providence College in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts in History . While attending Providence , he played for the Friars Division - I ice hockey team , where , during his senior year , he served as captain . The team was coached by Lou Lamoriello . In 1977 Burke played seven games with the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League . Burke then proceeded to play one full year in the AHL with the Maine Mariners , who won the AHL Calder Cup Championship that year . After one year in the AHL , Burke attended Harvard Law School , where he graduated with a law degree in 1981 . Early Executive Career and GM of Hartford Whalers . After graduating , Burke became an NHL player agent . In 1987 , he was hired by Pat Quinn , his coach from Maine , to be the Director of Hockey Operations for the Vancouver Canucks . In 1992 , he left that job to become general manager of the Hartford Whalers . He was fired after one year in Hartford , after which he was hired by the NHL to be Vice - President in charge of discipline , under commissioner Gary Bettman . Vancouver Canucks . In 1998 , he became General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks . 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 the Sedin twins , as the team won a playoff series and captured a division title . As Canucks GM , Burke played a key role in the end of Peter Zezel ' s career . The controversy began at the trade deadline late in the 1998 – 99 season . Zezel ' s niece Jilliann was terminally ill with cancer in Toronto , and Zezel requested a trade from the Canucks ( who were far out of the playoff race ) to an Eastern Conference team so he could be closer to his family . Instead , Burke dealt him to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim , the furthest stop from Toronto in the league . Zezel promptly retired and returned home , and Canuck management were heavily criticized by a sympathetic media and public for the callous way he was treated . Following the 2003 - 04 NHL season , Canucks ownership chose not to renew Burke ' s contract for the general manager position . Burke then briefly worked as an analyst for NHL games on both the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and The Sports Network . During the 2004 – 05 NHL lockout , he proposed a 15 - point plan derived from his experience as an agent and general manager . GM of the Anaheim Ducks . Burke won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks as the GM in the 2006 - 2007 season . It was his second year as an executive with the club . Burke stepped down as GM of the Anaheim Ducks on November 12 , 2008 . The Ducks management submitted papers to the NHL , releasing him from contractual commitment . President and GM of the 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 . He is 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 a year . 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 , and it marked the third time he has held this post under Brian Burke ; Vancouver , Anaheim , and Toronto . First Off - Season with Maple Leafs . Brian Burke ' s first off - season in Toronto was sparked by public comments stating he was scoping the possiblity of obating the first overall pick and the choosing John Tavares . He stated he felt the highly touted Tavares was a franchise player but , was not willing to trade last year ' s first round pick Luke Scheen to do so . Islanders GM Garth Snow caught wind of the bold GM ' s public comments and felt it was unprofessional of Burke . At the 2009 NHL Draft with the seventh overall pick Burke selected Nazem Kadri after not being able to deal for the 1st overall pick . On a microphone recording conducted by TSN during the 2009 NHL Entry Draft , recorded a " private " discussion between Himself and Ottawa Senators GM Brian Murray , Burke asked Murray who he liked to draft . Murray , said he was interested in London Knights forward Nzaem Kadri , Burke holding the 7th overall pick selected Nazem Kadri . Burke stocked up his defence core with the likes of ex - Thrashers Garnet Exelby by trading Pavel Kubina , He signed free agents Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin . Burke notably added a lot of American born players headlined by NCAAers Christian Hanson from Notre Dame and Tyler Bozak from Denver . Burke also signed the highly touted Swedish Goaltender Jonas Gustavsson to a one year deal . The signing of Gustavsson led to Justin Pogge being dealt to the Anaheim Ducks for a late round conditional pick .