Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said Thursday was difficult when Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment announced that they would not renew team president Brendan Shanahan's contract.
Just over a year ago, Berube, Shanahan, and Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving sat in the film room inside Ford Performance Centre to discuss hiring the head coach. Shanahan called Berube "a great coach, a great person" after the interview process, which saw the Maple Leafs reach out to his former players.
Even before working together in Toronto, Berube and Shanahan had their run-ins on the ice as players. "He was just a guy that played a long time and played the same way a long time, and was a great teammate," Shanahan said.
"And going through this process, bringing it back to us searching for our next head coach, the more people you dug into, and the more information you got, the feedback was even more positive. It just felt like things that we were hoping for, things we saw were confirmed."
'The Coach Has To Be Involved More': Why MLSE CEO Keith Pelley Wants Maple Leafs Coach Craig Berube To Have More Say In Key Decisions
Hours after Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan's dismissal, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley had dinner with head coach Craig Berube.
On Sunday, three days after MLSE confirmed Shanahan's departure, Berube appeared on the Nasty Knuckles Podcast and discussed his time working under the Maple Leafs president, among other topics.
"It was a tough day. I was in constant communication with him throughout the season, and here's a guy that knows about winning and was obviously a great player. I love talking to him about hockey on a daily basis and just being around him. He was around us a lot, which was great," Berube said.
"For me, it was excellent to have that type of person and what he's accomplished in his career, just to run things by and situational stuff. So I really enjoyed him. We go on the road, we hang out together as a staff, and he was always with us. It was fun, and he'll be missed.
"He did a great job in Toronto, building a really good team and a competitive team for as long as they've been. Wish him all the best, but my time with him was excellent and I'll miss him."
MLSE CEO Keith Pelley Explains Decision Not To Hire New Maple Leafs President After Brendan Shanahan’s Dismissal
Fans stood alongside Legends Row before Scotiabank Arena, taking photos with the Toronto Maple Leafs' icons. At the same time, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzx3yMu-JNY">Keith Pelley sat less than 15 feet away</a>, inside the building, discussing another early playoff exit for his hockey club.
Shanahan had been with the Maple Leafs since 2014, when he was hired to spearhead the team's rebuild. Shanahan added several new hockey departments, rekindled the relationship with the team's alumni, and made the playoffs in nine of his 11 seasons at the helm.
"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," MLSE CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement after Shanahan's departure.
"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.
'Are Those Resources Being Put In The Right Area?': Could More Changes To The Maple Leafs Be Coming?
Less than 24 hours after Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment moved on from Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzx3yMu-JNY&t=1184s">MLSE CEO Keith Pelley hinted</a> more changes could be on the horizon.
"The franchise will be forever grateful for Brendan’s contributions and wish him and his family every success and happiness in the future."
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