With the sale of the Coyotes to Arizona developer Steve Ellman and Wayne Gretzky looming -- Ellman announced this week he has finally secured the funding for the sale -- Burke might find himself out of a job when the Great One takes over control of the team.

Sean Burke Born: Jan. 29, 1967, Windsor, Ont. Height: 6'4" Weight: 210 lbs. Drafted: New Jersey's 2nd choice (24th Overall) in 1985 Entry Draft Experience Played on two Olympic teams, earning a silver medal in 1992 Won gold medal with Canada in the 1997 World Championships and the 1987 Izvestia Tournament (Moscow) Played in the NHL All-Star Game in 1989

Although it could pose a problem to team chemistry in the short run, Gretzky seems determined on releasing general manager Bobby Smith and signing holdout goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin.

That's despite the fact that Burke is currently the league's hottest goaltender, leading all netminders with a 9-2-5 record and a 1.64 goals against average.

"Khabibulin is a young goaltender," said Burke. "He has got a bright future ahead of him. He is a guy that has done very well for this organization in the past. And, obviously there is a connection there, a history."

For Burke, he's just glad he has a job in the NHL. He knew of Phoenix's goaltending situation when he signed a one-year deal with Smith in the summer, and made a vow when the season started to make management's decision to sign Khabibulin as difficult as possible.

With that in mind, Burke came into this season with a new attitude that's been front-and-centre on the ice, where the 33-year-old netminder has been nothing short of spectacular.

On more than one occasion, Burke has been the sole reason the Coyotes have skated away with the win.

He was brilliant in turning aside 45 shots against Colorado, outstanding in a 2-0 shutout against the Rangers, and a brick wall against every other team he's faced so far this season.

"We knew Burke was a good goalie," Rangers forward Petr Nedved said. "But as the game went on we created chances, but it got tougher and tougher."

Burke was so dominant in October, posting a 7-1-1 record, that he was rewarded with the NHL's player of the month honours.

So it's ironic that, after 13 years of playing for various teams in the NHL, Burke is finally fulfilling his potential and another goaltender might steal the spotlight away from him.

After a stint as Team Canada's goaltender in the 1988 Calgary Olympics, Burke made his much-anticipated NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils late in the season.

Plenty was expected from him in the beginning and he responded, posting a 10-1 record in his first 13 games, leading New Jersey to a surprising trip to the conference finals.

Career Stats
YR	Team	GP	W	L	T	GAA
87-88	NJ	13	10	1	0	3.05
88-89	NJ	62	22	31	9	3.84
89-90	NJ	52	22	22	6	3.60
90-91	NJ	35	8	12	8	3.59
92-93	Hart	50	16	27	3	4.16
93-94	Hart	47	17	24	5	2.99
94-95	Hart	42	17	19	4	2.68
95-96	Hart	66	28	28	6	3.11
96-97	Hart	51	22	22	6	2.69
97-98	Car	25	7	11	5	2.80
--	Van	16	2	9	4	3.51
--	Phi	11	7	3	0	2.56
98-99	Fla	59	21	24	14	2.66
99-00	Fla	7	2	5	0	2.73
--	Pho	35	17	14	3	2.55
00-01	Pho	17	9	2	5	1.65

But Burke couldn't live up to the demands of management and hockey fans the following season, and after another three productive but not outstanding seasons with the Devils, he was shipped to the Hartford Whalers.

After spending 5 ½ seasons with the Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes, Burke developed into a journeyman goaltender, spending time with Vancouver, Philadelphia and Florida before ending up with Phoenix last year.

Right now, with Phoenix leading the Pacific Division with an 11-3-6 record, Burke said he isn't concerned about the future sale of the franchise and he's tired of talking about the subject.

Teammates point out that it just isn't Burke's play on the ice that has helped his team, but the role he plays with the Coyotes in the locker room. The goalie has taken a leadership role with the club and doesn't hesitate to speak his mind during intermission in an effort to inspire his teammates.

He's even taken young back-up Robert Esche under his wing, teaching him the finer points of the game.

"Burkie is the best," Esche said. "He always comes and sits by me before I play, and during intermissions, just to make sure I keep an even keel and don't get too excited or too dejected."

"I've got a job to do with this team," Burke said. "I've been a guy that's played a lot of years in this league, and always been a guy that's been considered a solid No. 1 and a guy that was counted on to play well every night. That's kind of how I approached this season.

"Until somebody takes my sweater down out of my stall and tells me I don't have a job, then I'm going to go out there and approach it the same way no matter what might be on the horizon."