The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Friday that 45-year-old Brendan Shanahan has been appointed as the NHL cub’s new president and alternate governor. S
hanahan will take over the roles with immediate effect and will be officially introduced to the media at a press conference in Toronto on April 14. According to a press statement released by the Leafs, Shanahan will be overseeing all club operations.
The new job means Shanahan will be leaving his current position as the NHL’s head disciplinarian. Shanahan was in charge of handing out player fines and suspensions as the NHL Senior Vice President in charge of player safety and hockey operations.
Garry Bettman, the commissioner of the league said, “Whether it was behind the scenes or under the glare of hockey's harshest spotlight, Brendan was as much of an 'impact player' at the League as he was on the ice. Brendan brought commitment, clarity and impeccable credibility to his difficult and thankless duties here. We knew his unique skill-set and body of work in the sport would make him a valued leader for any Club. Brendan has helped to change the culture of the game, has made it safer on a variety of levels, and his influence will be felt for years.”
With Shanahan giving up his regular duties with the league, the NHL announced that Stephane Quintal will be in charge of discipline and player safety for the remainder of the 2013-14 regular season as well as the playoffs.
The league will continue to monitor all of its games for rule infractions and Quintal will hold meetings and hand out punishment to players that break league rules and regulations. The league said there will be no change in the area of the Department of Player Safety other than having a new leader in place.
Shanahan had worked for the league since 2009 after retiring from a successful playing career.
The Maple Leafs collapsed late in the regular season with an eight-game losing streak and have missed the playoffs for the eighth time in the past nine seasons.
The team was officially knocked out of the race for a postseason spot after losing 3-0 in Florida to the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 8. They made the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons last year and were eliminated in the first round by the Boston Bruins in seven games.
Shanahan won three Stanley Cup Championships during his career with the Detroit Red Wings and also took home a gold medal from the 1994 World Hockey Championships while playing with Canada. In addition, he won a gold medal at the 1991 Canada Cup and another at the Winter Olympics in 2002.
The winger scored 656 goals career goals and is the only NHL player to have scored over 600 goals and serve more than 2,000 minutes in penalties.
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013 after retiring four years earlier.
