Pelley sees no need for a new Leafs president

MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley held a media availability at Scotiabank Arena on Friday. 

What did Brendan Shanahan do wrong? What, specifically, led to the end of his tenure as president of the Maple Leafs? 

"I don't think it's a one word or a one phrase or even a paragraph answer," said MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley. "At the end of the day, Brendan has added a lot to this organization. He has revamped it. He has put it in a really good position in so many ways. But it's about results."

The Leafs have made the playoffs in nine straight seasons, which is the longest active streak in the NHL, but Toronto only advanced to the second round twice during Shanahan's 11-year run at the top of the organization. 

Despite a string of early playoff exits, Shanahan kept faith that a core group including Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares and Morgan Rielly would lead the franchise back to the Stanley Cup. However, a long run never materialized as the Leafs went 2-9 in playoff series during Shanahan's presidency, including 0-7 in series-deciding games. 

"This is a results-driven business, and it's about winning championships," said Pelley. "And sometimes you need change to get to the next level."

A few days after the latest Game 7 defeat ended the 2024-25 season, Pelley informed Shanahan that his expiring contract would not be renewed.  

"We have to be on the pathway to win the Stanley Cup," Pelley said when asked how he'll measure success moving forward. "Our next step is to take it to the next level, and we felt that this move would help us get to the next level. But, make no mistake about it, making the playoffs and winning rounds is not our aspirational goal. Our goal is to win the Stanley Cup."

The Leafs have not made it to the third round of the playoffs since 2002. 

---

Pelley does not plan to hire a new president to replace Shanahan. Instead, he said he looks forward to working closer with general manager Brad Treliving, who just completed his second season with the team, and coach Craig Berube, who just completed his first season behind the bench. 

"I have my utmost confidence in Brad and my utmost confidence in Craig," Pelley said. 

Pelley and Berube had dinner together on Thursday night. 

"I think you'll all agree that [Berube] changed the culture," Pelley said. "Culture and chemistry is critical. I do believe that if you have the right culture and the right chemistry, it can make the difference between a goal, a touchdown."

Berube believes he saw that play out first-hand before the 2024 Grey Cup in Vancouver where the Toronto Argonauts, without starting quarterback Chad Kelly, upset the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 41-24. 

"I spoke to the Argo players and afterwards I came out, and then I watched them speak to each other, and I watched the entire situation," Pelley recalled. "And I said to Ryan Dinwiddie, the coach, I said, 'You're going to win by two or three touchdowns.' I said, 'Yeah, it's the best culture I've ever seen. That's the best unity I've ever seen with a team.' And that matters. Culture matters."

Pelley didn't expand on the specific culture shift he saw under Berube. 

"I think Craig added a lot," he added. "But that's something that we only spent a couple hours [on] last night. I think we will find out a little bit more in the weeks ahead."

---

Treliving missed Friday's news conference so that he could attend his daughter's graduation in Calgary, but Pelley noted the pair plan to catch up over dinner on Sunday. 

"We made some strides this year," Pelley said. "I have incredible confidence in Brad in only his second year as the general manager."

What did Treliving do to inspire confidence? 

"I think you could probably answer that as well as I could," Pelley said. "You've seen the change in goaltending. You've seen the change in defence. You've seen the change in the type of players that we've brought in. I think he's done a really good job."

Treliving overhauled the team's defence in just the last year, bringing in Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson via free agency and Brandon Carlo at the trade deadline. 

Treliving signed goalie Anthony Stolarz last summer and watched the longtime backup lead the NHL in save percentage while backstopping Toronto to a first-round win over the Ottawa Senators. Stolarz suffered a concussion in Game 1 of the second round and missed almost all of the series against the Florida Panthers. 

Treliving and the Leafs are now facing a big offseason with Marner just weeks away from becoming an unrestricted free agent. 

"He's one of the most prolific scorers that we've ever had," said Pelley. "I haven't had the privilege of watching his magic over the last number of years, only the last year, and we'll see what happens with Mitch Marner in the weeks ahead."

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun reports that Treliving has two years remaining on his contract. 

---

After the Leafs lost Game 7 to the Panthers, veteran winger Brad Marchand suggested the intense pressure in Toronto makes it harder for the Leafs to win. Panthers coach Paul Maurice echoed that sentiment as did winger Matthew Tkachuk during an appearance on the Spittin' Chiclets podcast. 

"There has been a lot of chatter and discussion around pressure — pressure of being a Maple Leaf player, or pressure of working with the Leafs, or as an executive," Pelley said during a lengthy opening statement on Friday. "Even sitting in the stands on Sunday night with my 22-year-old son, just prior to the game, he put his hand on my leg and said, 'Dad, are you nervous?' I said, 'Of course, I am nervous.' He said, 'Do you feel the pressure?' I said, 'Of course, I feel the pressure.' But pressure is really a privilege. It is a privilege to be that nervous. It is a privilege to be the CEO of MLSE. It was a privilege to be in those seats at Game 7."

The Leafs came out slow and ultimately fell 6-1 to the Panthers on Sunday, which led to a chorus of boos throughout the second half of the game. Some fans threw their jerseys and drinks on the ice. 

"I respect, understand, and appreciate their disappointment in the way the season ended," Pelley said. "I thank them for it. I thank them for the way they invested in the team. I understand, to our fans, that winning is the only thing that matters."

Pelley also praised the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who have since won the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals. 

"Florida is a very good hockey team," Pelley stressed on a couple of occasions. "We are seeing that this week as well against Carolina, who is also a very good hockey team."

---

What was it like for Pelley to experience the fan frustration on Sunday? 

"It was tough," the 61-year-old executive admitted. "Sports bring you on an emotional rollercoaster, team sports in particular. I hadn’t really experienced that type of emotion in some time, maybe ever ... The electricity during that game in the first period was palpable ... to go from that euphoric moment to the way that we felt in the third period was very difficult. I was saddened by it, and I feel that I need to take some responsibility for that."

Did the way Game 7 and Game 5, another 6-1 loss on home ice, played out give Pelley any pause regarding the way the team is built or the leadership group? 

"I think Game 5 and Game 7 were very difficult games," he said. "We all know that. I have already made my comments on that."

TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reported that the lopsided losses in the final two home games of the season did resonate in the MLSE boardroom. 

"The way the team went out in that manner really did impact the ultimate decision making in the end," Johnston said during the Insider Trading segment on SportsCentre. 

---

Pelley revealed the Leafs will soon have "a full detailed plan" to improve the team's relationship with the fans. 

"The biggest thing is how our players relate to the fans and, quite honestly, how we relate to the media," said Pelley. "I understand the importance of the media having worked in it for so long. We need to embrace the media. We need to embrace the fans. We need to be out there more."

Pelley, who previously served as president of TSN and Rogers Media, described this as a priority for the organization.