The Toronto Maple Leafs introduced Brendan Shanahan as their new Team President at a press conference at the Air Canada Center Monday morning.
The 45-year-old native of Mimico, ON met with the players before meeting with the media and told the assembled group that there will be changes to the club over the summer, but did not elaborate further than to say that the coaching staff and roster will be reviewed over the next couple weeks.
MLSE Chairman Tim Leiweke:
GM Dave Nonis:
Team President Brendan Shanahan
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Player interviews held before the press conference announcing Shanahan's hiring made for a beehive of activity at the ACC, but there was no end of the season availability with Randy Carlyle, which could the first of many signs that the veteran bench boss will not be back with the club next season.
"I think Randy Carlyle is a good coach, that's as far as I'll go." Nonis said in one of the scant mentions of Carlyle during the Shanahan presser.
News filtering out of locker cleanout day indicated some of the injuries that Leafs players were dealing with. Goaltender Jonathan Bernier will not participate in the 2014 IIHF World Championships in Belarus due to the injuries that ended his season prematurely and will undergo surgery to repair a sports hernia.
The 25-year-old Bernier, who ended the season with 26-19-7 record, 2.70 GAA and .922 save percentage, suffered the injury during the Leafs road trip in California in early March and is expected to be fully recovered within two to three weeks.
Forwards Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk were also hampered by injury during the second half of the season and will also not be headed to the World Championships as well. Van Riemsdyk finished with 30 goals for the first time in his career and 31 assists, but his scoring declined dramatically after the Olympic break, with just 14 points (six goals and eight assists) in 22 games.
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