BURKE, HEXTALL JOIN PENGUINS IN TOP ROLES
The Pittsburgh Penguins named Brian Burke, pictured, as president of hockey operations and Ron Hextall as GM on Tuesday. Hextall will oversee the Penguins’ day-to-day hockey operations and report to Burke as his primary adviser. Burke, in turn, will report to David Morehouse, the team’s president and chief executive officer. Jim Rutherford resigned as general manager on Jan. 27 for personal reasons. Burke, 65, boasts 31 years of NHL executive experience — highlighted by capturing a Stanley Cup as GM of the Anaheim Ducks in 200607. Burke is leaving Sportsnet, where he was working as a panellist during intermissions on Hockey Night in Canada. He has also served as a GM with the Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as the president of hockey operations for the Calgary Flames. Hextall, 56, followed up a 13-year NHL career by spending more than 20 years in management. He was an assistant GM of the Los Angeles Kings from 2006-13 before serving as the GM of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2014-18.