ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -Anaheim Ducks general manager Brian Burke stopped short of confirming he will still be on the job when training camp opens in September.
“I don’t know,” he said Tuesday.
Burke has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the vacant GM job with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 52-year-old Minnesota native has family scattered on the East Coast and a move would allow him to spend more time with his children.
Burke has one year remaining on the four-year deal he signed with the Ducks in 2005.
“No NHL club has asked permission to speak with me at this time. Not one team has asked. Nor have I asked for permission to speak to any NHL team at this point in time,” Burke said. “So unless and until those two things change, or unless and until I arrive at terms for a contract extension here in Anaheim, I have no intention of further discussing my situation.”
Burke said he is in discussions with Anaheim’s ownership about a contract extension.
“Those discussions will continue,” he said. “This is a great place to work.”
The defending Stanley Cup champion Ducks were eliminated from the opening round of the playoffs by the Dallas Stars on Sunday.
Aside from Burke’s status, the Ducks need to find out whether star defenseman Scott Niedermayer and forward Teemu Selanne will return. The two missed significant parts of the season contemplating retirement before returning.
Both players said Tuesday they will wait before making a decision. Niedermayer has one year left on a four-year contract.
“I made the commitment this year, I was excited to come back, I really enjoyed it, except for the outcome,” he said. “I obviously will have to talk with different people and kind of take it from there.”
Selanne said he was happy he returned this season.
“I’ll relax and think about things a little more,” he said. “But there’s no way I’m going to do next year what I did this year. Either I’ll play the whole year or not at all.”
Add A Comment