Leafs grant Isles permission to speak with Shanahan
Published
Could Brendan Shanahan be headed to Long Island?
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger confirmed that the Toronto Maple Leafs have granted the New York Islanders permission to speak with Shanahan after they expressed interest in speaking with the Leafs president about their top hockey job.
Shanahan, 56, just completed his 11th season at the helm of the Leafs with his contract set to expire at the end of June.
Johnston notes that team ownership set the bar for success this season with at least an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, something that has eluded the Leafs since 2004. After opening their second-round series with the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers with two consecutive wins, the team fell in seven games. The series loss included a pair of dispiriting 6-1 defeats on home ice including in the decisive Game 7.
According to Johnston, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), the Leafs' parent company, is set to hold an end-of-season review on Thursday where Shanahan's future will undoubtedly be raised.
Sources also tell Johnston that should the team move on from Shanahan, his position will likely remain unfilled for the foreseeable future.
Uncertainty over Shanahan's future comes with MLSE set to undergo an ownership restructuring with Rogers Communications having purchased Bell Media's 37.5 per-cent stake in the company. The deal has yet to officially close, but when it does, Rogers will control 75 per cent of the organization.
On the ice, it's also a pivotal offseason with Mitch Marner and John Tavares set to become unrestricted free agents and breakout forward Matthew Knies headed to restricted free agency.
Johnston notes that Leafs general manager Brad Treliving's two-year tenure on the job has been viewed positively internally.
A native of Etobicoke, Ont., Shanahan appeared in 1,524 games over 21 NHL seasons with the New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers from 1987 to 2009. He notched 656 goals and added 698 assists over his career, giving him the 28th-highest point total in NHL history.
An eight-time All-Star, Shanahan won three Stanley Cups with Detroit in 1997, 1998 and 2002. Internationally, Shanahan represented Canada on a number of occasions, including in gold medal-winning efforts at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and the 1994 IIHF World Championship in Italy.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013.
Prior to joining the Leafs, Shanahan spent five years in the NHL's front office, serving as a senior vice president at the time of his departure.
The Islanders are seeking new front-office leadership after the exit of Lou Lamoriello late last month.