Shanahan Ends Dubas Era In Toronto, But Pressure on Him & Maple Leafs Only Increases From Here

In one way or another, the Toronto Maple Leafs are almost always in the news. But this week, the Leafs were all over the headlines, and not for the right reasons. The shocking announcement Friday that GM Kyle Dubas would not return to the position was followed by a press conference with team president Brendan Shanahan that laid bare the reasons he chose not to bring back Dubas. And what was clearest coming out of that press conference was this: Shanahan has always held the most crucial position in the organization, and, just as he was fearless as a player, Shanahan has demonstrated his fearlessness as a management member.

It’s hard to blame Shanahan for his decision. If things played out as he explained Friday, Shanahan was unsettled by needlessly-publicized contract negotiations and curious offers for a new deal for Dubas. So Shanahan trusted his gut, told Dubas he was out, and now takes on what is an urgent search for Dubas’ replacement. But make no mistake – Shanahan will remain a key power broker for the Leafs for some time.

That’s something Shanahan has earned in his nine years on the job in Toronto. When he arrived as team president, Shanahan inherited a team that was a mess, and that couldn’t get into the playoffs in eight of their previous nine seasons. Under Shanahan’s leadership, the team became more diverse, and it embraced progressive ideals. After a few years, the Leafs drastically improved in the regular season, and they’ve made the playoffs every year for seven straight years. Yes, they’ve only won one playoff series in that span, but let’s not pretend there’s been no success in the Shanahan era.

That said, Shanahan is following in the steps of the GM he played under, longtime GM and former Buds GM Lou Lamoriello in his willingness to make cold-blooded decisions he feels are necessary. Lamoriello has fired coaches before his teams headed into the playoffs. Lamoriello has insisted on his plan despite others who would argue he was on the wrong path. And you need that from a leader. If the head person in charge doesn’t have full faith in his blueprint for success, he shouldn’t be there at all. Shanahan bears the entire weight of responsibility for the Leafs’ ups and downs, and he willingly takes steps he thinks are necessary, regardless of how they play out in the media and among the fan base.

(As always, full disclosure: this writer worked for the Leafs’ website in the early years of Shanahan’s time with the Leafs. Over that span, we got to know Shanahan a little as a boss and as a human being, and we’ve seen his leadership initiatives up close. There are lots to like about him, and we’re sure Dubas still feels that way about Shanahan, even as the relationship took a turn for the worse this week.)

Shanahan will be under even greater pressure than he was under at the start of last week, simply because Dubas’ replacement will be the fourth GM under Shanahan’s tenure. If the new person doesn’t work out, it’s likely Shanahan will be the next person to go. But that pressure has always been bubbling under the surface for Shanahan in Toronto. And he knows that and accepts it.

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The days and weeks ahead are going to be tumultuous for the Leafs and their legion of fans. There’s every possibility some member of the Core Four of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander will be traded for help on defense; we’ve said many times that there’s next-to-no-way the team trades Matthews, and Tavares’ contract makes him unmovable, so Marner and Nylander are the likeliest to be dealt. That will create a new level of intrigue and pressure, but this is what comes with operating in one of hockey’s biggest fishbowl markets. You can’t escape it, so you need someone who truly believes they can thrive in the face of it.

As a player, Shanahan was a physical force who served admirably as a leader on every team he played on. He made the Hockey Hall of Fame because he excelled despite the pressure. And he’s counting on that can-do attitude to carry him through the most controversial phase of his reign with the Leafs.

You can be skeptical of him, but you’re also well-advised not to bet against him.