PALM BEACH, Fla. – There is an inherent contradiction baked into a rebuild that is known as the Shanaplan.
The man behind that moniker, Brendan Shanahan, has no desire to be front and centre with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When there’s something to be said, he’ll say it, but otherwise the Hockey-Hall-of-Famer-turned-team-president would prefer to do his work in the background. However, when even veteran general manager Lou Lamoriello references the “Shanaplan” while discussing the mindset in the front office – as he did during the draft in Buffalo earlier this year – well, the term is going to stick.
Shanahan’s own reaction to hearing that from Lamoriello?
“A little embarrassing, but kind of funny.”
“I have three older brothers,” he said Friday in an interview with Sportsnet. “All four of us are called ‘Shanny’ by their friends. I remember someone saying ‘Isn’t it confusing?’ I said ‘What else can you do with Shanahan?’ (Now) I’ve seen Shanaban, I’ve seen Shanaplan.
“For the first 40 years of my life the only thing you made out of Shanahan was Shanny.”
Nicknames aside, the plan has shifted into a different phase this season. The Leafs are dressing seven rookies every night and 19-year-old centre Auston Matthews is seeing more minutes than any other forward on the team.
Despite that – or, more accurately, because of it – the Leafs have produced encouraging underlying numbers and are currently on pace for a 13-point improvement in the standings.
Consider it a modest first step after finishing 30th overall last season. The 10-10-5 start has included some memorable moments, including a four-goal debut from Matthews, and it’s built hope inside the executive suite just like it has among the fanbase.
“I’m excited about the progress, but I think for all of us – players included – we know that this is just really the beginning of the work,” said Shanahan.
The 47-year-old is a process-driven guy. He doesn’t view the road ahead in terms of timelines for when the Leafs need to get back to the playoffs or when they’ll be ready to contend for a Stanley Cup.
Instead, he’s content to let nature take its course.
“We’re thinking about going out and trying to win every game we play,” said Shanahan. “Wherever we are in our development, we’re going to be constantly trying to, as a group, get better. I think what we try to do is really just focus on the process and focus on improving. We’re confident that we’ll be in the right place at the right time.”
Shanahan and team chairman Larry Tanenbaum flew to Boston on Friday after representing the Leafs at the NHL board of governors meeting this week. They’ll be in attendance for Saturday’s game against the Bruins.
The team has been linked to trade rumours recently because it boasts a wealth of forwards and could use some upgrades on the blue line. When asked generally about how active they’ll be in the trade market leading up to the March 1 deadline, Shanahan made it clear that they won’t sacrifice the future for the present like so many Leafs front offices have in the past.
“Our vision’s not going to change, but the day-to-day blueprint has to change every day,” he said. “Things happen to your team, things happen around the league, you have to be ready. So there really is no one way we’ve outlined we’re going to do this thing. If we have an opportunity to make ourselves better and it fits into what our vision is (we’ll do it). Our vision isn’t going to change. Our vision is to build a team that can sustain success over a long period of time.
“So does that mean we’re not going to make any trades? No, it doesn’t mean that. Does that mean we’re going to get a little taste of success and sacrifice years and years of our future to get something for today? No.”
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What gives him confidence is the belief that he now has the right people in place to build a successful organization.
He had strong praise for head coach Mike Babcock because of the work he’s done with the rookies and holdovers alike.
“Mike challenges you every day,” said Shanahan.
He would know. He played a season for him in Detroit and has come to appreciate his no-nonsense style.
“That’s why I wanted him here,” said Shanahan. “When I see Mike – what some might see as criticism (of a player), I see as coaching. That’s Mike’s job, that’s why he was brought in here. It was not to inherit a team, it was to build a team.”
It hasn’t yet been three years since Shanahan left his job as the head of NHL player safety to run the Leafs. Still, he’s already managed to oversee the introduction of a new team sweater and the planning of the ongoing centennial season celebrations in addition to the many changes on the hockey side of the operation.
Next on his list of priorities?
More success on the ice.
“What I think about every day is just our team continuing to get better,” said Shanahan. “I enjoy all of the rest of the stuff, and it’s an honour and it’s a privilege to be a part of it, but first and absolute foremost for all of us here that have joined on with the Maple Leafs is to make us a Stanley Cup champion.
“It’s a difficult challenge, but we’re all people that like difficult challenges.”
That much was apparent when he cleaned house the day after the 2014-15 season, firing GM Dave Nonis, interim coach Peter Horachek, director of player development Jim Hughes, 18 scouts and several others.
Then he met with reporters and laid out a scorched earth vision as a way forward for the organization. It was raw and it was real. The “Shanaplan” was born.
“We made a lot of changes on the Sunday and I think we had the press conference on the Monday,” he said. “You know, I got really good advice from (senior advisor) Cliff Fletcher before I went downstairs to speak to the media. He actually said: ‘My advice to you is go be as brutally honest as you can be. If you can answer a question, answer it.’
“If it’s a question you can’t answer, just say ‘I can’t answer that.”’
