Toronto Maple Leafs president and CEO Keith Pelley has vowed to prioritize winning the Stanley Cup over making the playoffs, citing the team’s disappointing playoff run last season as a wake-up call. After announcing the departure of team president Brendan Shanahan, who will not have his contract renewed after 11 seasons, Pelley expressed confidence in general manager Brad Treliving and coach Craig Berube continuing in their roles. However, he acknowledged that more change is likely needed to take the team to the next level.
Pelley stated that winning championships is the responsibility of the team’s biggest brand, and that the organization will do everything necessary to achieve this goal. The first step towards this end has been taken with Shanahan’s departure, which Pelley described as a “hard but necessary” move. The Maple Leafs have not won the Stanley Cup since 1967, and Pelley believes that change is required to get back on track.
Pelley will spend the next several weeks conducting an audit of the team’s resources to determine how best to allocate them in pursuit of the Stanley Cup. He emphasized that making the playoffs is just a stepping stone, and that the ultimate goal is to bring home the championship.
Source: https://www.nhl.com/news/brendan-shanahan-exit-needed-for-toronto-to-reach-the-next-level