Maple Leafs grant Islanders permission to speak to Brendan Shanahan (upd: released by Leafs)

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Well Shanny is gone and now we shall see where this goes but if you do get him, I hope you enjoy

 

[Leafshater67]

Agree. It's getting ridiculous (though it's been ridiculous for a very long time).

Shanahan has a checkered history, which includes being part of Team Canada that threw the medal into the garbage because of the "Punch-Up at Piestany", stealing a teammate's wife in St. Louis (and later being vetoed from joining the Rangers by Gretzky as a result), working on 'player safety' at a time of endless head injuries, and running the Leafs' talented core into the dirt with endless playoff failures.

I would think the Islanders would want someone more fit for the mid-21st century, not a 1980s' dinosaur like Shanahan, but then again I would also think the LA Kngs would not want a 97-year-old GM who had already retired... but such is life in the 'National Old-Boys' League".

But he was an elite forward on the ice bro!

It’s insane and I genuinely wonder how many great hockey minds get lost somewhere on the way up so dudes like this can fail their way up the food chain and bounce around. Seems the only way to get into a GM role is to have played in the NHL.

There’s certainly some good hockey minds in the league that have bounced around too but this kind of shit is insane. That’s why I get excited when a fresh mind like say Carbery gets a role and succeeds but he was a coach. GM’s getting brought up from lower levels that haven’t played in the NHL is rare. The sport needs new blood.

 

[Seras]

What is wrong with this league

How desperate do you have to be to be after Shanahan today

10 years ago I get it, today just pure desperation

Maybe they want a guy who helped build a team that consistently makes the playoffs and has solid draft history during his tenure and maybe they also realize that only 1 out of 32 teams win every year so being able to get multiple shots is as good as it gets.

 

[Bandit]

Chris Johnston said it yesterday in his article...


"The hockey world is not exactly brimming with experienced high-end management talent, and arguably no one currently available has a stronger resume than Shanahan. Already a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player, the 56-year-old spent five years in the NHL’s head office, rising to the position of the league’s senior vice president, before arriving in Toronto."


If there were more young/talented executives in NHL front offices you'd see more change and less recycling. Sadly there are not.

If “high end talent” can’t get shit done in over a decade then maybe they aren’t “high end” after all? The fact that stupid quote mentions what he did as a player, which has f*** all to do with skills related to actuality running a team, tells you all you need to know.

There are at least 25 people on these boards more qualified to run an NHL franchise than Brendan f***ing Shanahan, but they’ll never get the chance because they aren’t “in the nepo club”.

 

[NVious]

Maybe they want a guy who helped build a team that consistently makes the playoffs and has solid draft history during his tenure and maybe they also realize that only 1 out of 32 teams win every year so being able to get multiple shots is as good as it gets.

He really did nothing good during his tenure in Toronto, all the draft picks that propelled Toronto were no brainers. I guess you could give him credit for Knies? So 1/70 picks were amazing???

He hired inexperienced bozos who did stupid things, he let the inexperienced bozos on the ice completely c*** him and he failed spectacularly at the goal of winning a cup (never came closer than 9 wins away).

His 11 years in Toronto yielded 2 more series wins than the previous 10 years which were arguably the worst in history.

To the very end, this guy was actually stupid enough to want to bring back Marner after failing with him 8x and not trading him for at least something in the offseason.

And if anybody is gonna defend Dubas, the funny thing is even he turned on the Shanaplan and was open to trading one of the core guys 2 years ago....Guess Shanny needed 2 more ass whoopings and now we lose Marner for nothing?

Fitting end, he couldn't turn his gifted draft picks into dogs, he didn't realize this and now the team is gonna lose one of them for nothing because his horrendous GM gave out NMC/NTC like candy canes.

The reason we don't have Rantanen is literally Shanahan who hired Dubas who gave those things out WHILE losing every contract negotiation. Could he learn? Sure I guess, but honestly he did nothing good in Toronto, he was fortunate the fanbase was clamoring for a total rebuild for the entire previous decade, he lucked into great prospects and then promptly made every wrong decision possible. I can give him credit for Knies though (I guess), so like 99+ abysmal decisions and 1 fantastic one.

 

[Dotter]

If “high end talent” can’t get shit done in over a decade then maybe they aren’t “high end” after all? The fact that stupid quote mentions what he did as a player, which has f*** all to do with skills related to actuality running a team, tells you all you need to know.

There are at least 25 people on these boards more qualified to run an NHL franchise than Brendan f***ing Shanahan, but they’ll never get the chance because they aren’t “in the nepo club”.

Weird comment.

 

[Bandit]

Weird comment.

Yeah super weird to say that a clown that couldn’t get shit done in over a decade is bad at his job because oMg hE wUz gr8Et pLaYiR!!!

And I hate the Leafs. Perfectly happy to keep watching them suck ass.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

A decade + with Shanahan was too long IMO. Shanahan and Dubas was the killer combo and not In a good way.

 

[Kimota]

Shanahan might be one of the worst President in sport of all time. Close to Harold Balard in the worst person in Leafs management they ever had. And if they decided to not renew him just cause he was going to the Islanders, that is even worse and showed to stupidity of the owners that their hands was forced. Should have been a long time ago.

Also Islanders I implore you to stay away from him. Enough of the failling upward bullshit.

 

[NYRnine94]

Why do NHL teams love hiring bad GMs and coaches?

 

[BB79]

Hopefully Marner goes to NYI at least we wouldn't have to worry about him winning anything there

Maybe Tavares will go back too?

 

[SanderSen]

I never understood the original hiring of Shanahan. He had zero team management experience. Lou around for a while was a good step but that is the kind of guy you want around full time, not a newbie figuring it out. Yes, he had an amazing playing career and worked with the NHL head office, but did not do the time to learn about team management.

 

[Kimota]

Why do NHL teams love hiring bad GMs and coaches?

It is really insane. Especially in the last few years. I swear to God, it feels like it is getting worse and worse.

 

[Seras]

He really did nothing good during his tenure in Toronto, all the draft picks that propelled Toronto were no brainers. I guess you could give him credit for Knies? So 1/70 picks were amazing???

He hired inexperienced bozos who did stupid things, he let the inexperienced bozos on the ice completely c*** him and he failed spectacularly at the goal of winning a cup (never came closer than 9 wins away).

His 11 years in Toronto yielded 2 more series wins than the previous 10 years which were arguably the worst in history.

To the very end, this guy was actually stupid enough to want to bring back Marner after failing with him 8x and not trading him for at least something in the offseason.

And if anybody is gonna defend Dubas, the funny thing is even he turned on the Shanaplan and was open to trading one of the core guys 2 years ago....Guess Shanny needed 2 more ass whoopings and now we lose Marner for nothing?

Fitting end, he couldn't turn his gifted draft picks into dogs, he didn't realize this and now the team is gonna lose one of them for nothing because his horrendous GM gave out NMC/NTC like candy canes.

The reason we don't have Rantanen is literally Shanahan who hired Dubas who gave those things out WHILE losing every contract negotiation. Could he learn? Sure I guess, but honestly he did nothing good in Toronto, he was fortunate the fanbase was clamoring for a total rebuild for the entire previous decade, he lucked into great prospects and then promptly made every wrong decision possible. I can give him credit for Knies though (I guess), so like 99+ abysmal decisions and 1 fantastic one.

Anyone who has followed the leafs for at least 5 years prior to him being hired could not have this opinion.

Also the picks being no brainers? Again, clearly you don't follow the leafs

 

[Kimota]

I never understood the original hiring of Shanahan. He had zero team management experience. Lou around for a while was a good step but that is the kind of guy you want around full time, not a newbie figuring it out. Yes, he had an amazing playing career and worked with the NHL head office, but did not do the time to learn about team management.

Reputation hire. He was thought highly by the NHL higher ups cause he worked there. Connections are made, underserving people get jobs, etc....

 

[King'sPawn]

If “high end talent” can’t get shit done in over a decade then maybe they aren’t “high end” after all? The fact that stupid quote mentions what he did as a player, which has f*** all to do with skills related to actuality running a team, tells you all you need to know.

There are at least 25 people on these boards more qualified to run an NHL franchise than Brendan f***ing Shanahan, but they’ll never get the chance because they aren’t “in the nepo club”.

I appreciate the props

 

[wunderpanda]

seems like a bad move for toronto. they went from hoping to make playoffs to expecting to win the cup with shanahan.

 

[General Fanager]

Shanahan might be one of the worst President in sport of all time. Close to Harold Balard in the worst person in Leafs management they ever had. And if they decided to not renew him just cause he was going to the Islanders, that is even worse and showed to stupidity of the owners that their hands was forced. Should have been a long time ago.

Also Islanders I implore you to stay away from him. Enough of the failling upward bullshit.

I agree that he made mistakes but that is going way too far. He took a joke of a franchise and made them legit. They ultimately failed so he should pay the price but calling him the worst is just nonsense....

 

[TheBeastCoast]

I agree that he made mistakes but that is going way too far. He took a joke of a franchise and made them legit. They ultimately failed so he should pay the price but calling him the worst is just nonsense....

He is ultimately defined in the first half and last half of his time here. His first 5 years were nearly perfect. His last 6 things started to crumble fast. His biggest fault is he had unending faith in Matthews, Marner, and Nylander and they at no point ever paid him back for his faith and commitment.

 

[Rebels57]

Why do NHL teams love hiring bad GMs and coaches?

Because nowadays, teams are all owner by massive corporations. This is how corporations hire. They place a massive emphasis on "experience" because they are too lazy and out-of-touch to identify competent alternative options.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Anyone who has followed the leafs for at least 5 years prior to him being hired could not have this opinion.

Also the picks being no brainers? Again, clearly you don't follow the leafs

Especially because for every pick the Leafs made this very site of "neutral" fans declared they were busts lol. Marner was too small for the NHL, Laine > Matthews, Nylander was a very hated pick over Ritchie and Ehlers.

 

[Voight]

Reputation hire. He was thought highly by the NHL higher ups cause he worked there. Connections are made, underserving people get jobs, etc....

He did hire Brandon Pridham to work in Toronto and I believe he was the guy who helped design the salary cap so thats a good guy to have working for you.

 

[boredmale]

Well Shanny is gone and now we shall see where this goes but if you do get him, I hope you enjoy

I will when he brings Marner with him. lol

 

[MCR74]

Go for it. Signing ex Leafs has sure paid off for the Islanders.

 

[MCR74]

Not sure why the Islanders want to hire the architect behind building a roster of playoff chokers and keeping said chokers for near a decade.

Interesting comment considering who is running the show in Pittsburgh.