Leafs president Shanahan claims his expiring contract won't be "distraction"

The Toronto Maple Leafs have had hundreds of faces come and go through their organization over the last decade.

With four different general managers and what’s set to be a fifth new head coach since 2014, it’s been an organization with plenty of turnover in recent years.

But throughout it all, Toronto president Brendan Shanahan has had a pretty steady face at the top since 2014.

Toronto fell this year in Game 7 to Boston in the first round of the playoffs, the seventh time in the last eight seasons the team failed to win a playoff series.

While Shanahan’s seen the franchise have some of its most successful regular seasons in franchise history and overseen the growth of young stars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, frustration remains about the team’s perennial playoff failures.

And asked today at his end-of-season media availability about the future of his job in Toronto, Shanahan wouldn’t budge.

“From the day I was hired in the spring of 2014 ’til today, I wake up every day with the goal of trying to find a way to add and make the Maple Leafs better,” Shanahan said.

Sportsnet was among those who reported that Shanahan has one year remaining on his deal. But when asked about the report, Shanahan wouldn’t divulge any more details.

“I’m not gonna get into the details of my contract and what is correct or not correct,” Shanahan said. “My first contract with the Maple Leafs was not addressed or renewed until a month before it expired. It was not a distraction to me then, and will not be a distraction to me or the team.”

For now, the most pressing task at hand is finding a new head coach for the team, with Sheldon Keefe being let go on Thursday.

“We’re not waiting,” Toronto general manager Brad Treliving said of the team’s coaching search. “We’re going to be thorough. This isn’t going to be something that is hastily done.”

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