Former National Hockey League (NHL) manager Brian Burke will serve as chief union representative for the new women’s hockey league, which will begin its inaugural season in January 2024.
The magazine “The Hockey News” reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter. The 68-year-old will defend players’ rights in the new entity formed in late June following a merger of the operations of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association (PWHPA) and the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF) to form the Montreal Force.
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According to the outlet, Burke will play a leadership role and work with both the hockey players and the ownership group. These include women’s tennis legend Billie Jean King and Los Angeles Dodgers manager Mark Walter. The collective agreement was signed in July. At this time it is impossible to confirm if the force will end up in the PWHPA.
The new union leader served as president of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey operations from 2021 to 2023. He was sacked at the end of the last election campaign. He previously held the same position with the Calgary Flames and served as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks and Hartford Whalers.