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Brendan Shanahan

Snapshots: Maple Leafs, Penguins, Lundqvist

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The Toronto Maple Leafs held a wide-ranging media availability today, where players and management both expressed their frustration with how the season ended. The Maple Leafs once again failed to win a postseason series, extending a drought that is now up to 15 years. In his part of the availability however, team president Brendan Shanahan told reporters including Kristen Shilton of TSN that he still believed in the people running the program:

I have complete faith in Kyle (Dubas) as a general manager, in Sheldon (Keefe) as a coach and complete confidence in what we’re going to do here in Toronto.

Dubas, who has been on the job since taking over from Lou Lamoriello in 2018, stuck up for several of his players including Mitch Marner, whose criticism from fans over the last few days he called “idiotic.” The Maple Leafs now enter the offseason with a huge chunk of their salary cap tied up in their star forwards and lots of need to improve other areas.

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins didn’t get much of the same defense from their general manager yesterday when Jim Rutherford said changes would have to be made. Josh Yohe of The Athletic (subscription required) released his annual examination of which roster players could be the target of Rutherford’s wrath and on their way out this summer. While Justin Schultz—a specific target of Rutherford yesterday—finds himself in the “So Long, Farewell” tier, so does Nick Bjugstad who just a few years ago was a 20-goal scorer with plenty of promise. Bjugstad recorded just one goal and two points in 13 games for the Penguins this season.
  • The New York Rangers aren’t expected to carry three goalies next season and that could mean an end to Henrik Lundqvist’s run with the franchise. That won’t be done without speaking to him first, however, as according to Dan Rosen of NHL.com team president John Davidson already had a “personal discussion” with the legendary goaltender after getting off the plane ride home. Lundqvist has always been loyal to the Rangers, but has another year with an $8.5MM cap hit and has already relinquished the starting role to Igor Shesterkin.

Snapshots: Shanahan, Doughty, Draft Lottery

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While the Toronto Maple Leafs have distanced themselves from the Florida Panthers of late and look to have a firm hold on the third playoff berth in the Atlantic Division, the same spot they held last year, most have seen this season as a disappointment for the club. The Leafs have endured an up-and-down campaign and even at their best have never truly competed for the division lead with rivals the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning. In fact, the Leafs still sit 18 points back of Boston and nine points back of Tampa, who hold a game in hand. Yet, president Brendan Shanahan is choosing to see the positives in Toronto’s season and Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston relays that the Hall of Famer is happy with the direction of his team. “Adversity is something that every NHL team will go through, for all teams and not just ours,” Shanahan said, “and it’s something that you can either meet and grow from or you can use it as an excuse and I like to think that our players aren’t using it as an excuse, certainly not in management or coaching.” Shanahan continued that the team is “never going to [be consistent] all 82 games in a row, but certainly doing it more often than not, and that’s something that our guys are learning and it’s something I’m very confident that they are going to continue to grow at.” Shanahan speaks further about the team, noting how hard it is to sustain success in the NHL, but stating that he is confident that the Leafs can learn to be more consistent to make the most of their considerable talent.

  • Another name choosing to be positive in a tough situation is Drew Doughty, whose L.A. Kings face the Maple Leafs on Thursday. The Kings went from perennial Stanley Cup contender to a long-term rebuild quicker than anyone could have expected and Doughty, signed long-term in L.A., would obviously rather be back competing for titles every year. That doesn’t seem likely any time soon though and the veteran is just trying to take things day-by-day. “It’s very hard, but it’s the position I’m in, and I gotta try to stay positive every day, as hard as it is,” Doughty told TSN, “I have to make the best of it and just try to get better every day, both as a team and individually.” Doughty says that he is happy to see the talent of the prospects in the Kings’ pipeline, as well as the team’s numerous picks, and has already seen “flashes” from many of the current young players on the roster. However, no one is expecting a quick turnaround in L.A., Doughty included, so he will have to find a way to stay focused and positive for a while longer.
  • One major positive for Kings would be good luck at this year’s NHL Draft Lottery. L.A. dropped from No. 2 to No. 5 last season with the maximum three teams winning the lottery, and they hope for a different result as they currently sit with the second-worst record again this year. The Kings are undoubtedly hoping to move up to the top spot for the chance to take generational winger Alexis Lafreniere. So, when will we know the draft order for June? The Athletic’s Corey Pronman reports that the expectation is that the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery to be held on Thursday, April 9th. This would be the second night of the NHL postseason, which could see the lottery drawing again held in phases throughout a night of playoff action. More will be known soon on the details of this year’s lottery.

Brendan Shanahan Signs Six-Year Extension

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The Toronto Maple Leafs are sticking with the “Shanaplan.” The team has announced a six-year extension with president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan through the 2024-25 season. Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of the Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment board released a statement:

On behalf of the MLSE Board of Directors, and certainly our company and fans as well, we are very pleased to see Brendan continue in his role as President of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Brendan’s positive impact on this team has not only been felt on the ice, where the team is on an impressive path, but throughout the league, with the Leafs alumni, and in the community. We look forward to continued success for the Maple Leafs under Brendan’s leadership over the next six years.

Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that he had heard rumblings about this earlier in the season but that the team was waiting until the offseason to announce it. Shanahan joined the Maple Leafs in 2014 and was an integral part of bringing in people like head coach Mike Babcock, former general manager Lou Lamoriello and current general manager Kyle Dubas. A native of Mimico, a Toronto suburb, Shanahan told the organization he had no plans of going elsewhere:

When MLSE approached me several months ago to discuss an extension, I told them this would be quite simple as I’ve had no desire to leave what we’ve started here with the Maple Leafs. I’m thankful to the Board of Directors, our coaches, trainers, management and office staff, and especially our players for the professionalism and dedication they display every day.

The Maple Leafs have gone to the playoffs in three straight seasons, and set a franchise record with 105 points in 2017-18. Still, Shanahan and the rest of the organization have their sights set on a far greater prize than regular season success. Toronto has not raised the cup since 1967.

Latest On William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs

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While the Toronto Maple Leafs get their season started against the Montreal Canadiens tonight, there is one player conspicuously missing from the lineup. That’s William Nylander, who is still without a contract and now missing regular season games as he holds out for a lucrative long-term deal. The Maple Leafs are moving forward without Nylander on the wing of Auston Matthews, but certainly don’t want to wait very long for one of their young stars to re-enter the lineup.

Still, the Maple Leafs know they can’t give in to demands and pay Nylander an exceptional amount of money. Toronto will soon be faced with a very real cap crunch as Matthews and fellow star forward Mitch Marner finish their own entry-level contracts this season, and with John Tavares already locked up for $11MM per season there isn’t a ton of money to go around. It’s Tavares that the team hopes its young forwards take a lesson from according to President and Alternate Governor Brendan Shanahan, who told reporters today including Kristen Shilton of TSN that the club expects their players to want to win hockey games more than earn the absolute most money possible. That’s what Tavares did this summer according to Shanahan, and also what he believes his Stanley Cup-winning Detroit Red Wings teams did when he was still on the ice.

Tavares did indeed leave money on the table to come to Toronto, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports in his excellent recent piece detailing the offseason signing. Friedman writes that the San Jose Sharks were rumored to be willing to offer $13.5MM per season, while the New York Islanders basically had a blank check waiting for Tavares, one that would have been filled out in “McDavid territory.”

While that may have been Shanahan just sharing some honest feelings with the media as he approached the season opener, it also seems as though it is a bit of a negotiation tactic with his unsigned star. The Maple Leafs are forging on ahead without Nylander at the moment, and aren’t willing to put themselves in a tough spot financially by catering to whatever the player is asking for. It’s a tough stance for Toronto fans to appreciate, but it might end up saving them in the end if they plan on keeping their young core together long-term.

Maple Leafs Will Not Name A Captain This Off-Season

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The Toronto Maple Leafs did not have a captain last season and judging by the comments of new GM Kyle Dubas, they may not have one this season either. In an interview with TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Dubas stated for a fact that the team would not name a captain prior to the beginning of the season and would again go without one until Dubas, Brendan Shanahan, and the coaching staff can better evaluate their options.

I want to get into a day-to-day with these people and see who is best suited to handle [the captaincy]… if we do determine that we need somebody to handle that. If we feel we have a void in leadership because we don’t have a formal captain, then that is something that I think we can address… We need to evaluate it as the season evolves and as we go through the ups and downs of a season and see how the players each individually handle the daily process of a season.”

Dubas seems hesitant to make any sort of decision until he has a complete read of the locker room and until a time that he feels naming a captain is necessary. He calls the title for a historic club like the Maple Leafs “an honor” and wants to make sure that the correct person is named. Dubas feels that being patient with naming a captain will be the right move and eliminates the risk of any future drama surrounding the team’s leadership.

Dubas specifically mentions Patrick Marleau, Ron Hainsey, and free agency prize John Tavares as top candidates if and when a decision is made. The latter was the captain of the New York Islanders before signing in Toronto and some speculated that the commitment made by the team to Tavares could indicate that he would be in line for the same role. Meanwhile, Dubas singled out Marleau as a player who stepped up as a locker room leader for the team last year. While the team lost regular alternates in Tyler Bozak and Leo Komarov this off-season, Marleau, Hainsey, and Nazem Kadri also wore the “A” occasionally last season. As for the young core of the team, Dubas says that he hopes William Nylander, Morgan Rielly – a frequent alternate the past few years, Jake Gardiner, Auston Matthews, and Mitch Marner continue to grow in their leadership abilities, but stopped short of calling any of them a prime candidate at this point. With Nylander still unsigned and both Gardiner and Hainsey on expiring contracts, it would seem that either Marleau or Tavares would be the favorite for the role, with Rielly, Matthews, and Marner as possibilities. However, Dubas will not rush the decision and the Leafs may even go another whole season without a formal captain.

Mark Hunter Making GM Choice Difficult For Maple Leafs

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With most people under the belief that with former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello out of the picture now, the Maple Leafs are likely to go with their long-time plan of naming GM-in-waiting Kyle Dubas as their next general manager.

However, Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet suggests that may not be the case. During a segment on Hockey Night in Canada, Kypreos says that many executives around the league believe that assistant general manager Mark Hunter may be the better choice. Elliotte Friedman reported on the same broadcast that team president Brendan Shanahan and Hunter met Friday to discuss the opening.

“A lot of executives I’ve spoken with believe that when it comes to the next general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, it goes in the favour of Mark Hunter, for no other reason than his resume,” said Kypreos.

The 55-year-old Hunter has quite a different resume than the 32-year-old prodigy Dubas. The 12-year NHL veteran has been a successful coach, owned, and ran the OHL’s London Knights and has been an executive with the Maple Leafs since 2014. Dubas, who also joined the organization in 2014, was the general manager of the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

“A lot of executives still believe that Kyle Dubas pales in comparison to the years of experience and multiple Memorial Cups [of Hunter],” Kyreos said. “The issue for Brendan Shanahan going forward is that if he decides to go with Kyle Dubas, he runs the risk of losing Mark Hunter, who would have a tough time answering to Dubas.”

With two solid candidates for the highly-coveted position, however, it’s likely the team will lose one executive at some point if they don’t get the position.

Lou Lamoriello Will Not Return As GM Of Toronto Maple Leafs

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The Toronto Maple Leafs today announced that legendary executive Lou Lamoriello will not return as General Manager next season. President Brendan Shanahan released a statement explaining the decision:

Three years ago, Lou and I agreed on a contract that would see him serve as General Manager of the Maple Leafs for three years and then transition to Senior Advisor for the following four years. This morning I informed Lou that I was not going to deviate from that course of action. I will now focus all of my attention towards making a decision regarding our next GM. 

Lamoriello oversaw a tear down and rebuild of the Maple Leafs that has resulted in two straight playoff appearances and a young core that can rival anyone in the league. With both Kyle Dubas and Mark Hunter waiting in the wings though as potential GM candidates, the original succession plan can still be put into place. It’s not clear which one—or who from outside the organization—will be given the title, but the Maple Leafs shouldn’t be leaderless for very long.

Dubas, the whiz kid GM from the OHL who has ascended the front office ranks incredibly quickly, was targeted by the Colorado Avalanche last summer as a potential replacement to Joe Sakic. The Maple Leafs didn’t allow Dubas to interview for the job, which was considered by many as a sign that he would eventually be promoted within the Toronto organization. He serves as GM of the Toronto Marlies, who are a powerhouse in the AHL and are on to the second round of the playoffs currently. His unique approach to player development and analytic implementation is a perfect example of how front offices are leaning in various cities around the league.

Hunter on the other hand is more of an old school hockey mind, who has been the backbone of the Maple Leafs’ scouting department for several years. The former NHL player and London Knights GM, Hunter is an outstanding judge of talent among young players and has unearthed several mid and late round picks for the Maple Leafs.

There is always potential for someone else to come in and fill the role for Shanahan and the Maple Leafs, and Lamoriello’s move to advisor may come with some skepticism from those who cover him regularly. Many believe he’s not ready to give up being a GM in the NHL, and as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted in his recent 31 Thoughts column, he has ties to the New York Islanders organization. Should Garth Snow move up to a higher role in the organization, Lamoriello could be a potential replacement as GM at least in the short-term.

For the Maple Leafs, this isn’t exactly a firing after a disappointing first-round exit. Instead, Shanahan has maintained a plan from day one and is continuing to move the team further down the line towards perennial Stanley Cup contention. Though Lamoriello is one of the league’s most well-known front office executives, there was a split coming eventually given that he is 75 years old and closing in on retirement.

Trade Rumors Swirl Around Toronto

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It wasn’t long ago that the Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the worst franchises in the NHL, making the playoffs once in just eleven seasons and suffering an epic collapse in that one postseason appearance. Therefore, it was fittingly a surprising and exciting story line when the young 2016-17 Maple Leafs made the playoffs and even gave the President’s Trophy-winning Washington Capitals a run for their money in the conference quarterfinals. Toronto had finally turned it around.

This season however, expectations have changed. In an especially weak Atlantic Division, the Leafs have, for all intents and purposes, already locked up the third Atlantic playoff spot and are simply looking to strengthen their roster for what seems to be a collision course with the Boston Bruins in the first round, a rematch of their 2013 blunder. While much of that preparation will simply be maintaining a healthy roster and polishing their play through the rest of the regular season, there is also much anticipation that further additions to the team are in order to give the team a shot at the Stanley Cup this spring.

Trade speculation is natural for contenders, but it isn’t always rational. There has already been a notion among many sources that impending unrestricted free agents James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak, and Leo Komarov will be used as the team’s own “rentals” and that the Leafs could be unlikely to add a forward. There’s also the fact that Toronto has next to no cap space to make a typical picks/prospects-for-player rental deal. Yet, fans are still eager to grasp at any rumors of the Leafs adding a big-time defenseman or another depth piece up front.

Case in point: Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported earlier today that rookie defenseman Travis Dermott’s number was suddenly changed from #3 to #23 without his approval. The reaction from Toronto fans was overwhelmingly that the team was set to acquire a veteran player with the #3. Even SB Nation’s Maple Leafs blog Pension Plan Puppets was quick to post a somewhat laughable list of potential former Leafs whose #3 could be saved for retirement alongside a more serious list of current #3’s throughout the league who could be future Leafs. The vast majority of that list are defenseman, which lends some credence to the theory, but many – Seth Jones, John Klingberg, Brayden McNabb, Tucker Poolman – are likely untouchable and others – Kevin Bieksa, Chris Bigras, Nick Jensen – are likely of no interest to Toronto. Could the Pittsburgh Penguins really be ready to move on from Olli Maatta? Would the Leafs really be willing to take on the Keith Yandle contract or the risk of uber-physical Radko Gudas? Or was the number change simply due to some other decision that carries far less weight than Toronto fans would like it to?

Only time will tell what moves the Maple Leafs make prior to the Trade Deadline, but the expectations are not going away any time soon. Toronto’s Stanley Cup window has only just opened, but the hockey-crazed city is ready for their first title since 1967 and fans will be eager to see the club add additional pieces to strengthen the roster. The Leafs will continue to be a team to watch through the next month and a half, but that doesn’t mean every little piece of information on the rumor mill is worth taking seriously.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Toronto Maple Leafs

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As the holiday season approaches, PHR will look at what teams are thankful for as the season nears the quarter point of completion. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We take a look at what’s gone well in the first month and what could improve as the season rolls on. So far we’ve covered ANA, ARZ, BUF, CGY, CAR, CBJ, COL, DET, LAK, NYI, STL, WSH, and VGK.

What are the Toronto Maple Leafs most thankful for?

A diverse front office.

When Brendan Shanahan took over as President of the Maple Leafs in 2014, the team was reeling from a late-season collapse that took them out of the playoffs and showed what the club was really made of. Shanahan was a new voice, running a team for the first time since his Hall of Fame playing career ended and within the next few years he would surround himself with a diverse group.

Lou Lamoriello, a legendary GM who had been with the New Jersey Devils for nearly 30 years was brought in to orchestrate the team’s tear down and subsequent rebuild, scouting guru Mark Hunter and whiz-kid Kyle Dubas were added to give the group a few different voices, and Mike Babcock was brought in as coach. Though his role is technically not in the front office, Babcock has a big impact on personnel, including recruiting trips to Russia to bring in extra talent.

The Maple Leafs blew up the team, trading away key players like Phil Kessel and Dion Phaneuf for underwhelming returns and added several top prospects over the last few seasons. Now everything is coming together for Shanahan and company, and some tough decisions will have to be made on how to navigate their upcoming salary obstacles. With the versatility that’s been shown so far from this group, Maple Leafs fans should feel secure in their team’s future.

Frederik AndersenWho are the Maple Leafs most thankful for?

Frederik Andersen.

Yes, things changed in Toronto right around the time Auston Matthews got to town. Last season was built on nightly incredible performances by the rookie, helping the team jump from dead last in the league to a playoff spot overnight. But it was also the first season for Andersen, who immediately (or, at least after a shaky October) gave stability to the Maple Leafs’ crease and helped the team become a contender.

This season after another inconsistent first month, Andersen has shown even more improvement and remains arguably the most important part of the Maple Leafs. Carrying a .958 save percentage over his last eight games, Andersen is looking the part of an All-Star level goaltender and one that could legitimately take the young Maple Leafs team deep into the playoffs. Leading the league in minutes, shots faced and saves, it’s not clear where the team would be without their top netminder.

What would the Maple Leafs be even more thankful for?

Consistency from two of their “Big Three”

While Matthews has still led the team in points even as he works through a mysterious upper-body injury, both Mitch Marner and William Nylander have had their share of troubles. Both have been relegated to the fourth line at times, and though their point totals would be more than acceptable for any other sophomores these two have already shown higher highs.

Both scored 61 points last season and were expected to improve on those totals in their second full-seasons. They’ve combined for just four even-strength goals, but it’s not all bad. Babcock told the media after last night’s 4-1 win in Calgary that he though it was Marner’s best of the season, and the pair is shooting a combined 5.6%. That number is sure to improve over the year, making the Maple Leafs even more dangerous down the stretch.

What should be on the Maple Leafs Holiday Wish List?

Another full-time defenseman.

Andreas Borgman has been a revelation for the Maple Leafs this season, coming over from the SHL to jump right onto their third pairing. The 21-year old Swede doesn’t log a ton of ice time for the team, as he’s not on either special teams group, but has still shown an ability to play on a nightly basis.

The other side of that third pairing though hasn’t been as stable. Babcock has shuffled through Connor Carrick, Roman Polak and Calle Rosen at different points this year, and the team could benefit from that revolving door becoming a little more stationary in the second half. Pittsburgh’s Ian Cole has been linked to them recently, though a right-handed option would likely be more beneficial.

Interestingly, the Maple Leafs do have quite a bit of trade capital as they head towards the deadline. James van Riemsdyk, Leo Komarov and Tyler Bozak are all pending unrestricted free agents, while the team carries an extra second-round pick from a previous trade with the San Jose Sharks. It seems unlikely that they’ll try to make a huge splash on the defensive market, but an addition that could be trusted on the penalty kill and play a full-time role of 15-18 minutes a night would help take some pressure off the rest of the group.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Evening Notes: Tavares, Haula, Boston Rookies

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With the hopes of avoiding a full-on rebuild, the San Jose Sharks and general manager Doug Wilson are attempting to figure out how to revitalize their team after suffering the loss of free agent Patrick Marleau and the realization that they might be moving on from 38-year-old Joe Thornton. The team still made the playoffs last year and have quite a few solid veterans still on the team, but the team suddenly is lacking in superstars not named Brent Burns.

Paul Gackle of the Mercury News writes that as the San Jose Sharks are set to focus on tonight’s home game against the New York Islanders, don’t be surprised if the Sharks make a run at their star forward John Tavares, either at the trade deadline or free agency itself if it gets very far. Tavares, who is in the last year of a six-year, $33MM deal, has not signed an extension and has made it clear that he is waiting to make sure the Islanders find themselves a permanent home before signing. However, there are some who feel that he will not re-sign with the team and the Islanders will be forced to trade him at the trade deadline or lose the 27-year-old center for nothing.

Gackle writes that San Jose would be a perfect fit for Tavares, who could come in and supply the team with a superstar that can replace Marleau and Thornton. However, despite the great fit and the fact the team should have the cap room to make a deal for Tavares work, the team could struggle at the cap like the Chicago Blackhawks as they already are committed to Burns, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and will have to pay up for Logan Couture in two years. It might still be worth the effort to make a deal like that happen, because the Sharks would like to be a team that could make the necessary changes and stay in the playoffs like the Detroit Red Wings once did when they switched from Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan to Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Nicklas Lidstrom.

  • The Vegas Golden Knights issued an update on injured wing Erik Haula, who was placed on injured reserve today with a lower body injury. According to the Golden Knights’ website, Haula is expected to miss at least a week with his injury. That will give general manager George McPhee more time to manipulate his roster before he must make a cut to activate Haula.
  • Joe Haggerty of NBC Sports writes that the Boston Bruins struggles on offense can easily be looked at the rookies as the team has handed major roles to Anders Bjork, Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Charlie McAvoy this year. And while the scribe points out that there are plenty of veterans who are fighting with their consistency as well, the rookies struggles to consistently play their game could be what holds up early success for the Bruins until they can figure things out. “It’s up to them to do what they do best, which is attack, play inside and get to the net,” said head coach Bruce Cassidy. “Hopefully, they do a little bit more of that as a line. Some guys catch on quicker than others. We knew there would be consistency issues as every young kid goes through them. So we saw highs in the first game and some lows in the second game, and we saw them starting to come out of it in the third period [in Colorado]. We’re going to try to keep them confident, but also on their toes and aware of what needs to be better.”

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