Maple Leafs fans react to Brendan Shanahan’s departure after 11 years

The reactions from Leafs fans on social media were mostly aligned that it was probably the right time to move on from the president. Some felt that it was a move long overdue, while others recognized that this is a sign that things will be different under the leadership of MLSE CEO Keith Pelley. Here are some of the highlights:

It should not be lost in all of the fallout that Shanahan did a lot right throughout his tenure. He mended wounds with alumni, updated the logo, helped spearhead the addition of Legends Row, and retired the numbers of their franchise icons. In the end, the on-ice results were not good enough, and it’s time for a change.

11 years is quite a long time to be in the front office of an NHL team, and Shanahan was one of the longest-serving presidents in the league prior to his contract extension being denied. His impact will be felt for quite some time, though it is clear a new direction was necessary, as this user pointed out.

While it remains to be seen if the aggressiveness that Pelley will implement leads to success in the playoffs, there is no denying that the Leafs will be run quite differently than in years past.

This was a popular sentiment across the majority of responses, in that the move to let go of Shanahan should have happened years earlier. We will never know how differently things would have gone had this been the case, but it has happened now, and there is no going back.

With every seismic change, there will always be some who fear moving past what they have known for a while, which is understandable given the Shanahan era lasted 11 years. It is too early to tell what the future holds for the Leafs, but it has become clear that the status quo won’t cut it.

This user makes a good point in that this is an unfortunate outcome for Shanahan, given the fact that he grew up a Leafs fan and made it his mission to bring the Stanley Cup back to Toronto. Things unfortunately don’t always work out as intended, and now it’s time for both sides to move on.

We want to hear from you: what are your thoughts on the Leafs not renewing Brendan Shanahan’s contract?