The Ducks have scheduled a press conference for 3:30 EST this afternoon to make an announcement related to their general manager position, and it's hard to imagine that it's anything but news that Brian Burke is stepping down.

Prepare for things to go nuts in Toronto, where he's been long-rumoured to resurface next season.

UPDATE TSN reports Bob Murray is taking over for Burke. Murray is in his fourth season as the Ducks' senior vice-president of hockey operations and is credited with a lot of the player evaluations that have made Anaheim successful postlockout.

Murray was a pro scout under Burke in Vancouver from 1999 to 2004 and was previously the general manager of the Blackhawks from 1997 to 1999. He was drafted by Chicago in 1974 and played 15 years for the team, retiring in 1990.

Murray, 53, is still listed as living in Chicago, but I imagine that changes today.

UPDATE Here's a thought: Wasn't Dave Nonis supposed to be the successor in Anaheim?

Leafs fans, meanwhile, are already crossing their fingers that Burke isn't coming to Toronto, but I think this is a done deal. We'll know very soon.

I imagine the team will be broadcasting the press conference, but check back here about an hour from now for some coverage of that.

UPDATE TSN also reports that Burke is essentially a free agent and able to talk to other teams as of today, which leads me to believe he will not finish the season in Anaheim.

The Rangers are being rumoured as another possible destination on local radio, but the consensus is that Burke could step into the Toronto job at any time now.

Follow this from a Leafs perspective at Pension Plan Puppets
From a Ducks perspective at The Battle of California

UPDATE It was a short press conference, and I didn't see Burke speak at all. Murray said Burke had pushed him to spend more time with the team's CEO, Mike Shulman, as Burke wanted him to be the next GM if he left.

"This was a tough decision for him," Murray said. "I watched him agonize over it."