The Toronto Maple Leafs' parent company announced it will not renew the contract of team president and alternate governor, Brendan Shanahan. The decision comes after the Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs] lost in the second round to the Florida Panthers despite having a 2-0 lead in the series. Shanahan was with the Leafs since the 2014-15 season. Shanahan oversaw all of the team's operations as it made the post-season for nine straight years, but the Leafs won only two playoff rounds in that span. “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 a news release [https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/mlse-announces-change-to-toronto-maple-leaf-executive-leadership-team]. “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 ‘Honor, Pride and Courage’ that it was founded on.” Brendan Shanahan (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/6e0aeb91-1617-43e9-9f80-8554ec58d3dc.jpeg] Brendan Shanahan (Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images) Pelley said a new voice is needed to take the team to the next level. Shanahan [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/brendan-shanahan-the-leafs-president-lacked-brendan-shanahan-the-player], meanwhile, released a statement after learning today of MLSE's decision. "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 honors 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." Shanahan also thanked Leafs fans for their passion and loyalty and the players for their commitment while reflecting on the job done. "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. "There is nothing more I wanted to deliver to our fans, and my biggest regret is that we could not finish the job." On Wednesday, a Sportsnet report said MLSE granted the New York Islanders permission to speak to Shanahan [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/what-could-the-islanders-gain-from-brendan-shanahan-if-he-and-the-maple-leafs-part-ways] about an opening on their squad. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
