A day after completing a disastrous 30-44-8 season, Brendan Shanahan purged the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, firing GM Dave Nonis, interim head coach Peter Horachek, assistants Steve Spott, Chris Dennis and Rick St. Croix, Director of Pro Scouting Steve Kasper, Director of Player Development Jim Hughes and most of the club’s amateur and pro scouting department.
On Monday, the Leafs Team President addressed the firing of Nonis, saying that it would have been premature to do last summer after leaving the NHL ‘s Department of Player Safety.
Shanahan intends to have input in the day-to-day decisions with the club going forward, but will not add the GM title to his area of responsibility. Current assistants Kyle Dubas, Mark Hunter and Brandon Pridham will take over for Nonis on an interim basis while a search is being done, but the intention is to have a new GM in place prior to the NHL Draft on June 26-27 in Sunrise, FL.
Dubas and Hunter will not be excluded from consideration for the position, but if someone outside of the organization is chosen, it would have to be someone who would fit into the current management structure.
The Hockey Hall-of-Famer acknowledged that the current roster has some quality pieces that will remain past this summer’s expected teardown, but the extent of the changeover will not apparent until after the completion of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Shanahan re: players "If the mix doesn't work, there is going to be changes." #Leafs
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) April 13, 2015Shanahan did not reveal any specifics regarding how sweeping the roster upheaval will be, but indicated that there is no room for players giving half efforts or who did not appear to want to play in Toronto. If changes to the club’s hierarchy this weekend are any indication, it is not a stretch to assume that a large chunk of the players in Blue and White will be wearing other jerseys next fall.
“The challenge in Toronto is not to coming up with a plan, the challenge in Toronto is to stick to it.… Shanahan said. “Short cuts have gotten this organization in trouble in the past.…
Director of Amateur Scouting Dave Morrison remains the only significant presence from the Brian Burke/Dave Nonis era and will head a more streamlined scouting department relying more on analytics after 18 of the club’s 22 scouts were let go.
“We think it’ll be a less crowded room, but a more effective room as we approach the draft.… Shanahan said.
Shanahan : "The challenge in Toronto is not to come up with 'the plan', the challenge is to stick to it." #Leafs pic.twitter.com/NWUFy0zgXG
— Michael Augello (@MikeInBuffalo) April 13, 2015With support from the MLSE board of directors, the Leafs are poised to go through the arduous rebuilding process but Shanahan would not put any timetable on how long it would take, but did say that a favorable outcome in the NHL Draft Lottery would be welcomed.
“It would certainly speed things up.…
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