TORONTO — Brendan Shanahan will run the Toronto Maple Leafs after handing out NHL player suspensions the last three years.
Shanahan became the team president Friday, leaving his job as NHL director of player safety. He took over the disciplinarian job from Colin Campbell and will be replaced by Stephane Quintal.
Shanahan, a Toronto native, played 1,524 career NHL games in 21 years and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame last year.
The Leafs said Shanahan will begin in his new role immediately, and the team will hold a news conference Monday. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president Tim Leiweke and Leafs vice president and general manager Dave Nonis will attend.
Nonis’s presence suggests he’s safe for now, despite another season when the Leafs failed to make the playoffs. Shanahan will have a say about coach Randy Carlyle’s future and potentially his replacement.
The Leafs were eliminated from playoff contention Tuesday. A streak of eight straight regulation losses in March dropped them from second in the Atlantic Division.
“Very challenging time right now for our group mentally,” Carlyle said after Thursday night’s 3-2 loss in Florida.
Shanahan, who grew up in the Toronto neighborhood of Mimico, had 656 goals and 698 assists in his career with the New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers.
His “Shanabans” with accompanying video explanations have clarified suspensions in the NHL.
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