Brian Burke

President and general manager Brian Burke was let go by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday after four years with the team. He's being retained in an advisory role, which tells us the team still respects the work he's done. He was previously the general manager of the Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks. He has also worked in the NHL front office.

Rumors surrounding Burke's firing say that it all stemmed from an internal debate about whether to trade for Canucks goalie Robert Luongo. The Maple Leafs also have not made the playoffs during his tenure.

Brian, an outspoken advocate for LGBT equality in sports, is the father of the late Brendan Burke, who died in a car crash several years ago. He is also the father of Patrick Burke, who launched the You Can Play project last year. Molly, his daughter, has been a champion of LGBT athletes at Bowdoin College, where she is a student.