Edina Native to Become Personnel Director for 2014 Olympic Hockey Team

Edina native Brian Burke will be formally introduced as director of player personnel for the 2014 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team on Saturday, USA Hockey announced Friday.

"I'm honored to be asked to work on building this team," a release quoted Burke. "Our player pool is ever expanding and that's a reflection of the great progress hockey continues to make in our country. I'm certainly excited about not only where we are today, but what the future holds."

Burke was born in Providence, RI, and raised in Edina. He played college hockey at Providence College, according to a USA Hockey bio. From 1993 until 1998, he worked in the NHL front office as senior vice president and director of hockey operations—as well as serving as the chief disciplinarian who ruled on violations of on-ice player conduct.

He was president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks between 1998 and 2004. The Sporting News named Burke as its NHL Executive of the Year in 2001.

He served as the executive vice president and general manager of the Anaheim Ducks from 2005 until 2008—leading the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup in 2007. The then became president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008, a position he held until 2013. 

He’s currently a professional scout for the Ducks.

Burke was also the general manager of the silver medal-winning 2010 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. And in 2013, he helped put together the U.S. Men’s National Team that won bronze at the International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship.

In addition, he is an original member of the U.S. Men’s National Team Advisory Group that formed in February of 2007 to help USA Hockey select players and staff of U.S. men’s national teams, including the Olympic Team.