MLSE president Pelley to speak on Shanahan's exit at 1pm ET on TSN.ca
Published
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president Keith Pelley will speak Friday to address the decision not to renew the contract of Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan after 11 seasons at the helm.
The Maple Leafs announced Thursday afternoon that Shanahan's tenure had come to an end, days after the team lost Game 7 of their second-round series against the Florida Panthers. It was their best playoff finish in Shanahan's tenure with the club.
Watch Pelley's availibility LIVE on TSN.ca and the TSN App LIVE at 1pm ET/10am PT.
“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,” Pelley said in a statement Thursday. “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.”
Shortly after the team announced Shanahan's departure, he made a statement of his own.
"Toronto is where I was born and raised, where my family still lives, and being a part of this historic franchise will always be one of the greatest honours of my life," Shanahan said. "I want to thank the entire Maple Leafs' staff for their commitment and hard work over the years - they are second to none in the National Hockey League. I want to thank the Alumni for all of their support and the tremendous work they do at our games and within the community. Many of them were my heroes growing up and it has been a pleasure to get to know them on a personal level. I want to thank the fans for their passion and loyalty. Your love for the team inspired me every day.
"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. There is nothing more I wanted to deliver to our fans, and my biggest regret is that we could not finish the job. I greatly enjoyed working with Brad and Craig, and I firmly believe they are excellent in their roles and have done a great job in their time with the team. Also, I want to thank the players, they are committed and passionate about delivering a championship to this city and will do everything within their power to accomplish that goal. I wish them all the very best."
TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports that Brad Treliving will remain in place as general manager. It's unclear whether the team will seek to find a replacement for Shanahan.
Toronto holds the active record with nine straight playoff appearances, but the team has advanced to the second-round only twice in that span and the Maple Leafs have not reached the Eastern Conference Final in more than 20 years.