Stephane Quintal Succeeds Brendan Shanahan As NHL Discipline Czar

There’s a new sheriff in town.

With Brendan Shanahan leaving his post as NHL director of player safety to become team president of the Toronto Maple Leafs (a move that was made official Friday), the league has announced former NHL defenseman Stephane Quintal as his successor, at least through the end of this season.

“Effective with Thursday night’s games and for the balance of the regular season and throughout the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs, Stephane Quintal assumes the role of conducting hearings and administering supplementary discipline,” the league’s official statement read.

Quintal played for six teams during his 16-year NHL career, including the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. He was drafted by the Bruins in 1987 and played 158 games in black and gold, but his greatest success came in Montreal, where he spent seven of his final nine seasons before retiring in 2005.

Quintal has worked under Shanahan in the league’s safety department since 2011 and also served on the disciplinary committee for the 2014 Winter Olympic hockey tournament in Sochi.

Photo via Twitter/@Daniel210460