Brian Burke has long been rumoured to be the next GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs. (Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press)

Brian Burke's career remains in limbo, but he knows exactly what he wants in his next NHL job: autonomy and authority.

"If you don't have a pretty significant degree of autonomy and authority, I mean if it's not going to be your decision-making and you're going to get fired for someone else's decisions, you're better off not taking the job," Burke told Hockey Night in Canada Radio on Thursday.

Burke said having autonomy and authority as a general manager helped him build the Anaheim Ducks into a Stanley Cup championship team in 2007.

"Titles, and money, and cars, and all that other stuff is not what motivates me or anyone else I know in hockey. It's the ability and the chance to win, and if you think you have that ability [to win], you want those decisions to be embraced and adopted," said Burke

Burke, 52, was removed as Ducks GM on Wednesday due to his reluctance to sign a contract extension beyond this season because of family issues.

He remains under contract to Anaheim through the end of the 2008-09 NHL campaign, but Ducks CEO Michael Schulman is expected to file legal papers with the league next week that would give Burke permission to talk with other teams.

Burke has long been rumoured to be the top candidate to fill the Toronto Maple Leafs' vacancy for a permanent GM, but he stressed he can't do anything until the Ducks allow him to begin his search for a new job.

"Until that happens, nothing is going to happen, because the [NHL's] tampering bylaws are clear. Nobody can talk to me as long as I'm under contract to the Ducks, which I am until June 30 of 2009, unless or until I'm granted permission," Burke explained.

Burke joined the Ducks in June 2005 after a six-year stint as president and GM of the Vancouver Canucks.

Considered one of the top executives in the NHL, most pundits think it's only a matter of time before he lands with another NHL club. Others believe Burke would have more options if he waited until the end of the season before making his next move.

But Burke told HNIC Radio he doesn't want to take the rest of the season off, and admitted he is anxious to land another NHL job.

"I like working. I didn't like being out of work when I was let go by Vancouver.… I didn't like being out of hockey, its part of my DNA," Burke said.

Burke also reiterated that his decision to not sign a contract extension with the Ducks was strictly due to family reasons.

For the past 11 years, Burke has spent two weekends a month flying east to visit his four children from a previous marriage, who all live in the Boston area. But that took him away from his current wife and their two young children.

"[My family] was the reason for the decision. There were no hockey factors at all.... Michael Schulman is a great boss, a great guy to work for. There were no job issues. Not one," stated Burke.