President Brendan Shanahan

[disco]

https://twitter.com/Babsocks/status/851077672792985605

The hire. The mandate. The execution. Shanny appreciation thread.

After Burke, I had no expectations with the hiring of executive Brendan Shanahan by the MLSE. I liked the things coming out of his mouth, but of course, talk is cheap. Is this just another stuffed suit? A politician and glad-hander who has no idea what he's doing? Time would tell...

They started showing signs they that truly were going to build through the draft. There was the aggressive pursuit of Coach Mike Babcock and GM Lou Lamoriello, both of which have said that it was Shanahan's mission statement for the Toronto Maple Leafs that made them want to come here. He hired intelligent people and then stayed out of their way. After two-and-a-half years I'm now comfortable in saying that Brendan Shanahan is an excellent executive.

https://twitter.com/IamMattMeli/status/851065171242045440
https://twitter.com/Miss_AReilly/status/851081844665851904
https://twitter.com/JudeMac_17/status/850896066258010112

Leiweke interview: http://www.sportsnet.ca/590/prime-time-sports/toronto-teams-success-can-attributed-great-leaders/

 

[Kin]

It's pretty fun that we're going to get to watch playoff hockey again but I feel like we can hold off on the superlatives for all involved until the team accomplishes something a little more tangible.

 

[Frank E]

It's pretty fun that we're going to get to watch playoff hockey again but I feel like we can hold off on the superlatives for all involved until the team accomplishes something a little more tangible.

Yeah, I was yelling at my TV in disgust last night (Hunwick ghost call), then jumping up applauding when Kapanen and Brown scored...it was fun because they won...but really, half the teams in the league make the playoffs.

 

[Zee]

Alot of people ripped Leiweke too, but he's the one that made the call on Shanahan and ultimately set this whole thing in motion.

 

[Zee]

It's pretty fun that we're going to get to watch playoff hockey again but I feel like we can hold off on the superlatives for all involved until the team accomplishes something a little more tangible.

Going from 30th to playoffs in one season isn't tangible? It's not something that teams do often. This is just the beginning of the ride too, this team will continue to improve as the rookies gain experience.

 

[Kin]

Going from 30th to playoffs in one season isn't tangible? It's not something that teams do often.

That's because usually teams who are at the bottom of the league tend to take a slower, more measured approach to team building because most teams who are 30th in the league aren't one player away from being good.

That makes the one season jump a reflection of two things. One, that the Leafs were sort of artificially bad last year(keeping Nylander down, for instance) and two a desire to get instantly competitive(trading for Andersen, not scrapping down further).

Seeing what Matthews has done is evidence, I think, that the choice to be artificially bad last year was a good one and I think we've been fairly vocal about that. The decision to get instantly competitive, I think, is one the Jury is still out on and, no, I don't think a single playoff berth is evidence it was necessarily the best call.

 

[mr grieves]

Going from 30th to playoffs in one season isn't tangible? It's not something that teams do often.

That's because usually teams who are at the bottom of the league tend to take a slower, more measured approach to team building because most teams who are 30th in the league aren't one player away from being good.

That makes the one season jump a reflection of two things. One, that the Leafs were sort of artificially bad last year(keeping Nylander down, for instance) and two a desire to get instantly competitive(trading for Andersen, not scrapping down further).

Seeing what Matthews has done is evidence, I think, that the choice to be artificially bad last year was a good one and I think we've been fairly vocal about that. The decision to get instantly competitive, I think, is one the Jury is still out on and, no, I don't think a single playoff berth is evidence it was necessarily the best call.

Andersen was a surprise move, and I was also expecting, heading into last off-season, that they'd move JvR and Bozak by this year's deadline.

As for the longterm wisdom of moving forward so quickly, we've covered the roster hole that won't be filled through the draft, but I also wonder what the development benefits of playing in front of mediocre goaltending would've been relative to getting into the playoffs this early. For example, it's been nice to see the rookies play through the nervousness of big games and then find a way to execute under pressure.

 

[Kin]

As for the longterm wisdom of moving forward so quickly, we've covered the roster hole that won't be filled through the draft, but I also wonder what the development benefits of playing in front of mediocre goaltending would've been relative to getting into the playoffs this early. For example, it's been nice to see the rookies play through the nervousness of big games and then find a way to execute under pressure.

I don't wonder too much about that. Take a look at the 89-91 Nordiques every now and again and start counting how many guys came up in what conventional wisdom says would be the worst possible situation for young players and developed into not only good or great players but players particularly known for mental toughness. 

 

[jdh1]

Alot of people ripped Leiweke too, but he's the one that made the call on Shanahan and ultimately set this whole thing in motion.

Very Good....Leiweke made the right call.  He can be given credit for getting the Rapters GM as well.

 

[Kaberle15]

I think that this is the 1st step of tangible things.

They came dead last with 69 points (and that was a tough to watch team as it gets until the deadline) to a 95 points, a playoff spot in the next year.

See Edmonton, they got McDavid and took 2 years to secure a playoff spot, and they had tons of talent.

See Buffalo, they are yet to do so in the Eichel era

So 26 points more seems to be a very tangible thing, way ahead of the plan.

Win round one would be too much to ask right now, but, you know, it is Hockey, and anything could happen.

Thanks Shanahan, and Go Leafs Go!

 

[Redleaf]

It's pretty fun that we're going to get to watch playoff hockey again but I feel like we can hold off on the superlatives for all involved until the team accomplishes something a little more tangible.

Your argument that it doesnt matter who they face in the playoffs sort of goes against this comment. To accomplish something more tangible, they really need to win a playoff round. Unless a miracle happens over the next few weeks, they will accomplish nothing until next year (fingers crossed). Playing the Sens, with better odds of actually winning might have achieved this. Losing to the Caps really doesn't move the needle at all, other than saying they made the playoffs.

 

[Kin]

Your argument that it doesnt matter who they face in the playoffs sort of goes against this comment. To accomplish something more tangible, they really need to win a playoff round. Unless a miracle happens over the next few weeks, they will accomplish nothing until next year (fingers crossed). Playing the Sens, with better odds of actually winning might have achieved this. Losing to the Caps really doesn't move the needle at all, other than saying they made the playoffs.

That's only true if you buy the premise that a first round win would have represented significant over and above just making the playoffs but, to me, the very fact that you think beating the Capitals would require a miracle says to me that even if we did luck out and get to play a pretty mediocre Ottawa or Boston team and then beat them it wouldn't really represent all that much.

 

[Kin]

I think that this is the 1st step of tangible things.

They came dead last with 69 points (and that was a tough to watch team as it gets until the deadline) to a 95 points, a playoff spot in the next year.

See Edmonton, they got McDavid and took 2 years to secure a playoff spot, and they had tons of talent.

That strikes me as a pretty disingenuous comparison. If Matthews had missed 37 games this year I'm pretty confident in saying the Leafs wouldn't have made the playoffs either. Likewise, they didn't have anything close to the group of veterans that the Leafs kept around which applies to Buffalo as well. The Leafs never stripped down to the bone the way Buffalo did for McDavid.

I can't claim to speak for the guys running the team currently but from what I've seen from them I think they'd say that thinking that congratulations for major accomplishments should wait until those accomplishments are achieved would strike them as pretty reasonable.

 

[Bullfrog]

Losing to the Caps really doesn't move the needle at all, other than saying they made the playoffs.

So then, it actually moves the needle. You know, from "not in playoffs" to "in playoffs."

I wanted them to play Ottawa, because that would give the best chance of progressing, but I don't think it makes much difference in terms of the team's development.

 

[Zee]

Losing to the Caps really doesn't move the needle at all, other than saying they made the playoffs.

So then, it actually moves the needle. You know, from "not in playoffs" to "in playoffs."

I wanted them to play Ottawa, because that would give the best chance of progressing, but I don't think it makes much difference in terms of the team's development.

At the very least there's something to be said for this core to go through a stretch drive and not collapse.  At least they have this playoff berth as an accomplishment, and next season they have the bar set to be a playoff team right from opening night.  Nobody was talking that was when this season began.

 

[Bullfrog]

To me it's simple: more games equals more development. So, the more success they have in the playoffs, the more opportunity for development. I don't think losing or winning, per se, will change much in terms of their development.

Four straight seven-game series culminating in a Stanley Cup win would obviously be ideal. You know, from a development stand-point.

 

[L K]

To me it's simple: more games equals more development. So, the more success they have in the playoffs, the more opportunity for development. I don't think losing or winning, per se, will change much in terms of their development.

Four straight seven-game series culminating in a Stanley Cup win would obviously be ideal. You know, from a development stand-point.

I was thinking about this.  Wouldn't 16 games be more ideal.  Maybe a few go to overtime just to get some of that pressure situation but 16 straight seems like a good character building experience.

 

[rdowdall]

It would probably be wise to remember that hockey is a very fluid sport, and that while one year you can be a genius, the next you can be a fool.  Ask Dean Lombardi.

 

[Zee]

It would probably be wise to remember that hockey is a very fluid sport, and that while one year you can be a genius, the next you can be a fool.  Ask Dean Lombardi.

Once the Leafs win 2 cups in the near future and then fall apart, I'll have no problem calling Shanahan and company fools.

 

[rdowdall]

It would probably be wise to remember that hockey is a very fluid sport, and that while one year you can be a genius, the next you can be a fool.  Ask Dean Lombardi.

Once the Leafs win 2 cups in the near future and then fall apart, I'll have no problem calling Shanahan and company fools.

My point was that it's sometimes hard to tell if someone is making the right decisions, or if they are just getting lucky.  People thought Lombardi was doing a great job, but that Kings team is in a real mess.  Also he didn't do so hot in making a team for the world cup of hockey.  So the question becomes, is he a smart GM, or did he just catch lightning in a bottle?  Or is he more of a situational GM?  He's good at building but lacks skill at maintaining a team?  If he's good a building, why wasn't the team that he put together for the World cup of hockey better?

The thing is, that things are great in Leaf land right now, but there is still work to be done.