Tim Wharnsby
TORONTO — From Wednesday's Globe and Mail Published on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008 11:30PM EST Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 9:13PM EDT
The Toronto Maple Leafs' ownership group is expected to officially initiate contract negotiations with Brian Burke today or tomorrow.
According to an NHL source, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment president and chief executive officer Richard Peddie was to canvass the eight other members of the MLSE board yesterday in the hopes of securing clearance to begin contract negotiations with Burke.
Approval was not expected to be a problem, considering that MLSE and its two-person search committee of Peddie and Toronto sports lawyer Gordon Kirke called off its pursuit last summer because the Anaheim Ducks refused permission to Kirke and Peddie to talk to Burke.
But that issue was resolved last week when Burke was fired by the Ducks after he refused to sign a contract extension and the Ducks later filed with the league office the necessary paperwork that gave the 29 other NHL clubs authorization to talk to Burke.
Initial contact between Kirke and Burke's Vancouver-based lawyer, Peter Gall, was made last weekend.
Peddie and Kirke are expected to handle the negotiations for MLSE, which owns the Leafs. Kirke, however, has been busy with some charity work this week.
Burke, 53, was on his way to Vancouver yesterday to be with his wife, Jennifer. She is a broadcaster and had some freelance work to attend to there.
"I haven't heard anything from Toronto or my lawyer," Burke said before he boarded his flight. "There's been no offer, nothing yet. I expect to hear from my lawyer after I land."
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