Former Rangers star axed as president of Maple Leafs, clearing possible path to Islanders
Brendan Shanahan won’t have his contract as president of hockey operations renewed by the Toronto Maple Leafs, clearing his path to a potential role with the New York Rangers’ biggest rival, the New York Islanders.
The Leafs announced the decision to cut ties with Shanahan on Thursday. That was one day after they reportedly granted permission for Shanahan, whose Hall of Fame playing career included a two-season stint with the Rangers, to speak with the Islanders about a front office role.
“Over the past 11 seasons, Brendan Shanahan has made countless contributions to the Toronto Maple Leafs on the ice, off the ice and in the community,” Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment president & CEO Keith Pelley said in announcing the decision. “Brendan is one of the most respected leaders in the game and he has instilled many of the traits that were the signature of his Hall of Fame career throughout the organization, uniting this storied franchise in the ‘Honour, Pride and Courage’ that it was founded on.
“Our responsibility and driving motivation, however, is to add a new chapter to the Maple Leafs’ championship history, and it was determined that a new voice was required to take the team to the next level in the years ahead. The franchise will be forever grateful for Brendan’s contributions and wish him and his family every success and happiness in the future.”
Toronto’s decision not to retain Shanahan after 11 years came four days after the Maple Leafs’ season ended with a 6-1 home loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of their second-round series. It also came exactly one month after the Islanders, told president and general manager Lou Lamoriello that his contract wouldn’t be renewed.
Shanahan was believed to be in the hot seat after Toronto failed to get out of the second round again. He’s served as their top executive since 2014 – and hired Lamoriello as GM a year later. Lamoriello left in May 2018 to go to the Islanders after the Maple Leafs wanted to move him from GM to senior adviser.
Toronto made the Stanley Cup Playoffs for nine straight seasons under Shanahan but has gotten beyond the opening round just twice. That includes this season, when they blew a 2-0 series lead to the Panthers under first-year coach Craig Berube and second-year GM Craig Treliving. The Maple Leafs haven’t reached the conference final since 2002 nor reached the Final since 1967, the last time they won the Stanley Cup.
“While I am proud of the rebuild we embarked on starting in 2014, ultimately, I came here to help win the Stanley Cup, and we did not,” Shanahan said in a statement. “There is nothing more I wanted to deliver to our fans, and my biggest regret is that we could not finish the job.”
Shanahan spent two seasons with the Rangers, putting up 52 goals and 108 points in 140 games from 2006-08. He helped them reach the playoffs in both seasons and had his final NHL hat trick with the Rangers against the Islanders on Dec. 3, 2006.
He finished his playing career with the New Jersey Devils in 2008-09 and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. Shanahan won the Stanley Cup three times with the Detroit Red Wings and finished his career with 656 goals and 1,354 points in 1,524 games. He is 14th all-time in goals, 28th in points and 20th in games played.
The 56-year-old signed a six-year contract extension with the Maple Leafs in May 2019. But after another playoff disappointment, ownership decided it was time for a change – especially with star forwards Mitchell Marner and John Tavares eligible for unrestricted free agency on July 1.
Marner is expected by many to leave as a free agent, while Tavares – who bolted from the Islanders to the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2018 – said he wants to stay.
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Leafs won’t re-up president Brendan Shanahan, paving way for front office role with Islanders
NHL analyst Nick Kypreos told Sportsnet Central earlier this week that there was a good chance Shanahan’s job could be eliminated.
“Make no mistake, over the course of 10 years, this has been Brendan Shanahan’s team,” the former Rangers forward said. “He’s the one that hired (ex-GM) Kyle Dubas. He’s the one at the end of the day who changed coaches … all of it fell on the watch of Brendan Shanahan. I think there was a level of respect for Brendan over his playing career, to give him an opportunity.
“He’s lived it. He’s won championships on Detroit — surely he can find a way to get the right mix, the right players, the right character together to win a Stanley Cup. But now that he’s doubled down and tripled down on the core (players) and they didn’t come through, there’s going to be a level of changes. We’ll see where ownership now goes with this whole role of a president. Maybe they don’t need one. Maybe they move on from Brendan Shanahan and don’t replace a president.”
Despite this season’s disappointment, Shanahan’s time in Toronto was an overall success – the Maple Leafs were a tire fire when he got there. The Islanders haven’t said anything about hi, but it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t attract interest from a franchise that missed the playoffs this season and hasn’t won a postseason series since 2021.
Lamoriello’s successor, whether it’s Shanahan or someone else, takes over a team that owns the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft next month after winning the lottery (the Rangers will pick No. 12). There’s also an excellent goaltender (Ilya Sorokin) and a couple of talented defensemen (Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov).
But the Islanders are also loaded with long-term contracts for players whose best years are behind them. Also, their talent pipeline is just beginning to refill after Lamoriello traded away multiple first-round picks in the early 2020s.
The Islanders reportedly were interested in longtime NHL general manager Ken Holland and ex-Rangers GM Jeff Gorton, now the executive vice president of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens. But Holland took the GM job with the Los Angeles Kings, and the Canadiens refused to give the Islanders permission to talk to Gorton.
The Islanders reportedly interviewed former NHL GMs Jarmo Kekalainen and Marc Bergevin, as well as Tampa Bay Lightning assistant general manager Mathieu Darche. The Hockey News reported Monday that Bergevin and Darche each had a second interview with the Islanders.
But it’s unlikely that any of those three would get both titles – meaning that there could be an opening for Shanahan, who knows many of New York’s staff, mostly though his connections with Lamoriello. He also has a relationship with Isles executive John Collins from their time working at the NHL before Shanahan left to go to the Leafs.
Shanahan’s stature could help the Islanders do one thing they’ve never been able to do – bring in a marquee free agent. With the shine of a new building wearing off UBS Arena after four seasons, the Islanders have to do something to keep the turnstiles spinning. Bringing in Shanahan, and perhaps a solid GM under him if he doesn’t want both jobs, could be just what they need.
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