Richard Peddie, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., announced Saturday that Brian Burke has been named the new President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs. In keeping with club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed. ?I?m extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Burke as president and general manager of the Leafs,? said Peddie. ?We all agreed that our hockey team needed an experienced, established decision-maker who will make the Leafs a winner. We know Brian possesses the necessary qualities to meet the challenges ahead for our organization and in this market. ?I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Cliff Fletcher for his professionalism and commitment over the last 11 months. I?m delighted that he is going to stay on board with the team as a consultant.? The 53-year-old Burke becomes the 13th General Manager in Toronto Maple Leafs history and brings over 20 years of National Hockey League experience in various roles to the franchise. Most recently, Burke served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Anaheim Ducks from 2005 to 2008. In just over three seasons in Anaheim, Burke guided the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup (2007), first Pacific Division title (2007), and first-two 100+ point seasons (2006-07 & 2007-08). The Ducks also qualified for post-season contention in all three seasons, winning six-of-eight playoff series over that span. ?I?m extremely honoured to join the Toronto Maple Leafs,? said Burke. ?This is one of the most prestigious jobs in our game. ?This is an opportunity of a lifetime to work for a team in a world-class city with passionate fans, solid ownership and a rich history. I can?t wait to get started.? Burke received two outstanding honours in the summer of 2008. On June 6, he was chosen by USA Hockey as General Manager of the 2010 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, and was named a recipient of the 2008 Lester Patrick Award for outstanding service to hockey in the United States on August 7. Burke was ranked No. 1 by The Hockey News in the magazine?s Annual GM Rankings in March of 2008, and was a finalist for The Hockey News Executive of the Year in 2006. He was named the Sporting News Executive of the Year in 2001, and was a runner-up for the same award following the 2005-06 season. Burke joined the Ducks after a six-year stint (1998-2004) as President and General Manager of the Vancouver Canucks where he revitalized the team and the community en route to consecutive 100+ point seasons and the 2004 Northwest Division title. Under Burke?s leadership, the Canucks improved their point total in four consecutive years from 1999-2003. Since the 2000-01 season, Burke?s teams have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs all seven times, playing in 13 total postseason series. In addition, all seven of those clubs recorded at least 90+ points, including four 100-point seasons. Born in Providence, Rhode Island and raised in Edina, Minnesota, Burke was named the Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations by the Vancouver Canucks in June of 1987. Burke left Vancouver to serve as General Manager of the Hartford Whalers for one season in 1992, before joining the NHL front office as Senior Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations in September of 1993. Some of his duties with the NHL included acting as chief disciplinarian by ruling on violations for on-ice player conduct, and working closely with Commissioner Gary Bettman on league direction and collective bargaining matters. After earning his Bachelor of Arts in History from Providence College in 1977, Burke signed with the Philadelphia Flyers prior to the 1977-78 season and won a Calder Cup Championship with the Flyers? American Hockey League affiliate the Maine Mariners. He then returned to school and graduated from Harvard Law in 1981. Burke practiced law in Boston for the next six years, representing professional hockey players until joining the Canucks in 1987. Brian resides with his wife Jennifer and has six children: Katie, Patrick, Brendan, Molly, Mairin and Gracie.

Former Tampa Bay Lightning Associate Coach Mike Sullivan has returned to the team and will serve as associate coach to Interim Head Coach Rick Tocchet, Executive Vice President & General Manager Brian Lawton announced. In addition, Assistant Coach Cap Raeder will become goaltending coach and oversee the development of the organization?s netminders in Tampa Bay, Norfolk of the American Hockey League and Augusta of the ECHL, as well as unsigned prospects in the system. Wes Walz remains as an assistant coach on Tocchet?s staff. ?We are excited to add Mike to our coaching staff,? Lawton said. ?He?s been here and knows the players well, and he?s an upgrade to the overall quality of our coaching. Mike is highly respected throughout the league and has been successful as a head coach at the NHL, AHL and International levels.? Prior to joining the Lightning for the 2007-08 season, Sullivan served as head coach for the U.S. Men?s team at the 2007 World Championships in Russia. In his first season as head coach of the Boston Bruins in 2003-04, Sullivan led the team to the Northeast Division title and the second-best record in the Eastern Conference with a mark of 41-19-15-7 and 104 points. In his sophomore year with Boston Sullivan led them to a 29-37-16 record. In 164 regular season games as a head coach he had a record of 70-56-15-23 with a 3-4 playoff record. Sullivan joined Boston after spending one season as head coach of their top American Hockey League affiliate in Providence, Rhode Island. Under his guidance the P-Bruins captured their third division title as they won the North Division with a 44-20-11-5 record and 104 points. That season they ranked third overall in the AHL in offense with 268 goals and established a franchise record with a 19-game home unbeaten streak from December 6 until February 23, posting a 16-0-3-0 record during that span. Following his stint with Providence he was named the assistant coach of the NHL?s Bruins on March 20, 2003 under then interim head coach Mike O?Connell. He coached in Boston for the final nine games of the regular season as the Bruins posted a 3-3-3-0 record and were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals before he returned to Providence to finish the season. A native of Marshfield, Massachusetts, Sullivan played four seasons of college hockey at Boston University from 1986-87 until 1989-90. He scored 61 goals and recorded 138 points in 141 career college games. He was drafted by the New York Rangers as their fourth pick, 69th overall, in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, though he never signed with them. He began his NHL career in August of 1991 when he signed a free agent contract with the San Jose Sharks after spending one season with the San Diego Gulls of the International Hockey League. Sullivan went on to play 11 seasons in the NHL and scored 54 goals with 136 points in 709 games during his playing career.

Claude Lemieux has signed a tryout contract with the San Jose Sharks in hopes of returning to the NHL after a five-year absence. The 43-year-old Lemieux is expected to report to the Sharks' AHL affiliate in Worcester this week, San Jose spokesman Scott Emmert said Monday.

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has named David McNab Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations. In addition, McNab will also serve as General Manager of the Iowa Chops, Anaheim?s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). ?David has been a crucial member of the hockey operations staff in Anaheim since day one,? said Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Bob Murray. ?His invaluable knowledge of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) combined with his expertise in contract negotiation and scouting has been such an asset to this organization. Being elevated to the role of Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations seemed like the natural step, and David has certainly earned it.? An original member of the Ducks, McNab is now in his 14th season with the organization and 31st year overall in the NHL. In addition to having a vast knowledge on the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and its relationship to the salary cap in the NHL, McNab?s responsibilities now include overseeing all aspects of player development, which includes serving as General Manager of the Chops. He will continue to be the club?s expert on contract and arbitration negotiation, player evaluation, and scouting. McNab?s impact on the Ducks has been significant. Anaheim has appeared in Stanley Cup Final twice (2003 & 2007) in the last five NHL seasons, including a championship in 2007. The club has won nine playoff rounds since 2003, the most in the NHL (Detroit is second with seven). In recent years, McNab has scouted and signed multiple collegiate free agents, five of whom played for the 2007 Stanley Cup-winning team. The 52-year-old McNab served as Assistant General Manager of the Ducks from December 1995 until today?s promotion. He was the club?s first Director of Player Personnel and was largely responsible for the team?s selections in the 1994-96 NHL Entry and Supplemental Drafts. McNab also held the position as General Manager of the Ducks? top farm team in the AHL for six seasons (the Baltimore Bandits during the 1996-97 season and the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks from 1997-2002) while also working on the AHL?s competition committee for many of those years. McNab began his professional scouting career in 1978 with the Washington Capitals, where he spent four seasons. In 1982, McNab was signed by the Hartford Whalers, where he spent seven seasons as a scout, the last two as the Director of Player Recruitment. He then joined the New York Rangers in 1989, where he worked for four seasons before leaving to join the Disney-owned Ducks in 1993. His work with the Rangers helped the club to the 1994 Stanley Cup championship.

The Avalanche on Monday signed 22-year-old center Paul Stastny to a five-year contract extension through the 2013-2014 season, according to an Associated Press report.

The Capitals on Thursday signed defenseman John Carlson, one of the club?s two first-round picks in 2008, to a three-year deal, as reported by Yahoo.com. Financial terms were not disclosed.

David Desharnais has signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Canadiens, the club announced Wednesday. The 22-year-old has nine points in 11 games this season with the Canadiens top farm club, the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, as reported by the Canadian Press.

The Stars signed winger Mark Parrish to a $500,000, one-year deal on Wednesday, as reported by the Canadian Press. Parrish played 66 games for the Wild last season and was an unrestricted free agent.

Veteran NHL player Martin Gelinas signed with Swiss club Bern, according to an Associated Press report on Tuesday. The 38-year-old Canadian beat a midnight transfer deadline Monday to be eligible for Bern?s CHL game against Swedish club HV71 Jonkoping on November 12.