The Toronto Maple Leafs hired Brendan Shanahan as their new president on Friday. He will begin his new duties immediately and be introduced at a press conference on Monday.
Shanahan began working for the NHL in December 2009, one month after he retired as a player. He was the vice president of hockey and business development. In June 2011 he succeeded Colin Campbell as the NHL’s director of player safety. Stephane Quintal will replace Shanahan as the NHL’s director of player safety, according to the Associated Press.
"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," Gary Bettman, the NHL Commissioner said in a statement. "Brendan brought commitment, clarity and impeccable credibility to his difficult and thankless duties here, and while we are sad to see him go, 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. We send him to his new role with our best wishes and our deep appreciation for his many contributions to the game."
Shanahan, who is a Toronto native, played 1,524 games in 21 seasons as an NHL player. He had 656 goals and is the only player in NHL history with more than 600 goals. With the Detroit Red Wings he won three Stanley Cup titles and won gold medals with Canada at the 1991 Canada Cup, 1994 World Championships, and the 2002 Winter Olympics, according to NHL.com. Last year Shanahan was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The Maple Leafs were headed for the Stanly Cup playoffs for the second straight year, but were eliminated from the playoffs on Tuesday. In the last nine seasons they have made the playoffs one time. They finish the season on Saturday against the Ottawa Senators.