Toronto Maple Leafs fire Burke

[LeafyVilla]

The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired general manager Brian Burke, reports TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie.

The club will hold a press conference today at 1:45pm et

It was surprising news to many that after a 113-day lockout, the Maple Leafs would fire Burke now.

"Not very often I'm at a loss for words, but today I am," McKenzie said.

Maple Leafs winger Mike Brown echoed McKenzie's reaction.

"A lot of things are happening pretty quickly. It's definitely weird timing," Brown said of the news. "I wish him the best and thank him for everything."

Even close friends of Burke arriving in New York for Wednesday's Board of Governors meeting had no clue and were stunned at the news.

Burke had been the Maple Leafs' president and general manager since November 29, 2008. The club has missed the playoffs in every season under his watch and are coming off a 13th-place finish in the Eastern Conference.

Burke's NHL career began in Vancouver in 1987 when he was hired by Pat Quinn to be the director of hockey operations for the Canucks.

In 1993, he left the job to become GM of the Hartford Whalers before stepping down after one just one season to join the NHL front office as executive vice president and director of hockey operations.

In 1998, he returned to Vancouver to become general manager of the Canucks and following the 2003-04 season, Canucks ownership chose not to renew his contract.

Burke then became general manager of the Anaheim Ducks, where he won the Stanley Cup in the 2006-07 NHL season. He stepped down as GM in 2008 and joined the Maple Leafs shortly thereafter, replacing interim GM Cliff Fletcher.

Burke was also the general manager for the United States national men's ice hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

[BOF]

Why aren't they the Toronto Maple Leaves ? Someone should tell them. I bet they'll be mortified when they realise their mistake