Is Brendan Shanahan Still With the Leafs
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Is Brendan Shanahan Still With the Leafs

Marcus Sullivan
Marcus Sullivan
January 27, 2026

Is Brendan Shanahan still with the Leafs? No. The Toronto Maple Leafs didn't renew his contract after the 2024-25 season ended in May 2025. Shanahan's 11-year run as president came to a close, leaving Leafs fans wondering what comes next for their team. He now works for the NHL in a league-wide role, but his departure marks a major shift for Toronto's front office.

What happened to Shanahan's time with Toronto

Shanahan joined the Leafs in 2014 and helped build a talented core featuring Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares. The team made nine playoff appearances during his tenure. However, they only won two playoff series and never advanced past the second round (which, honestly, was dissapointing for most fans). Despite strong regular seasons, playoff success remained frustratingly out of reach. Shanahan also reconnected the franchise with its history by creating Legends Row and honoring past hockey greats. His focus on drafting and free agency shaped the team's direction, but ultimately the lack of playoff breakthroughs led to his departure.

Where Shanahan is now and what's next

Shanahan now works in the NHL's hockey operations department as an advisor. He splits time between New York and Toronto offices, attending important league meetings. Unlike his previous role, Shanahan isn't tied to one specific team anymore. He remains open to returning to a team front office if the right opportunity comes along. The New York Islanders reportedly showed intrest in interviewing him for a management position. His move reflects a growing trend of experienced hockey executives taking league-wide advisory roles.

Shanahan's departure leaves the Leafs searching for new leadership to finally break their Stanley Cup drought which has lasted nearly 60 years. The team still has star talent but needs different direction. Meanwhile, Shanahan's next move could shape another NHL franchise's future. Whether he stays with the league or lands a team job, his experience building competitive rosters will remain valuable across the hockey world. Leafs fans will watch his career closely wondering if a fresh voice might be what Toronto needed all along.

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