Keith Pelley has his say on Brendan Shanahan's future as Toronto Maple Leafs president

By ARJUN B

Modified May 10, 2024 16:13 GMT

Keith Pelley, the new CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), has confirmed that Brendan Shanahan will continue as the president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. In a press conference alongside Shanahan and general manager Brad Treliving, Pelley expressed his confidence in Shanahan's leadership.

“Brendan Shanahan is the president of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He's a champion. He's a three-time Stanley Cup winner,” Pelley said.

Shanahan, who has overseen the Maple Leafs since April 2014, has one year remaining on his contract. Under his leadership, the team has made the playoffs for eight straight years, a significant improvement from the franchise's struggles in the previous decade.

However, the Leafs have only managed to secure one series win during this period, leaving some fans and analysts questioning the effectiveness of Shanahan.

When Shanahan assumed the role of president, he initiated a reconstruction effort by appointing Mike Babcock as the head coach and bringing Lou Lamoriello on board as the general manager.

Additionally, he supervised the selection of key players such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, who now form the foundation of the team's existing lineup.

Despite the Maple Leafs' strong performance during the regular season, they have consistently fallen short in the playoffs. In the 2023 postseason, they managed to clinch a victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning, propelling them to the second round for the first time since 2004.

Brendan Shanahan on Toronto Maple Leafs playoff exit

Brendan Shanahan took full responsibility for the team's recent playoff exit against the Boston Bruins. In a press conference held on Friday, Shanahan acknowledged the need for change after observing persistent patterns and unchanged results.

"Accountability is on me," Shanahan stated, addressing the media.

“I believe that there are times when you talk about patience, and I still believe that there are times when patience is the suitable call. However, when you see patterns persist and the results don’t change, you have to adjust the way that you think about things,” Shanahan said.

Brendan Shanahan emphasized the organization's commitment to improving the Maple Leafs and achieving success.

"We will look at everything this summer and we will consider everything this summer, all with the intention of the one thing that we are here for, which is to make the Maple Leafs better and to win," Shanahan added.

The press conference followed the announcement on Thursday that the Maple Leafs had parted ways with head coach Sheldon Keefe. The organization stated that they would immediately begin the search for a new head coach to lead the team forward.