Nearly a month after the New York Islanders informed president and general manager Lou Lamoriello that his contract wouldn’t be renewed, the team is still searching for his replacement—or replacements.
Following the Toronto Maple Leafs’ elimination from the playoffs after a 6-1 Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers, a new name has surfaced as a possible candidate for the Islanders’ front office: Brendan Shanahan, the Maple Leafs’ director of hockey operations and a former Rangers player.
Shanahan, who played two seasons with the Rangers from 2006 to 2008, has been a key executive in Toronto since 2014 and was responsible for hiring Lamoriello as GM in 2015. Lamoriello left the Maple Leafs in 2018 to join the Islanders after Toronto planned to shift him from GM to senior adviser.
Despite leading Toronto to nine consecutive playoff appearances under Shanahan’s leadership, the team has struggled to advance beyond the second round, including this season’s disappointing loss after holding a 2-0 series lead. The Maple Leafs haven’t reached the conference final since 2002 or the Stanley Cup Final since 1967.
Shanahan, 56, signed a six-year extension with Toronto in 2019 that runs through this season. However, after another playoff letdown and with key players like Mitchell Marner and John Tavares potentially leaving via free agency, the Maple Leafs’ ownership may be considering a change.
NHL analyst Nick Kypreos suggested Shanahan’s role could be eliminated entirely, noting Shanahan’s significant influence over the team’s decisions during his tenure. While Shanahan’s leadership brought stability and some success to a previously struggling franchise, Toronto’s recent failures might prompt the organization to move in a new direction.
If Shanahan departs Toronto, he could be an attractive candidate for the Islanders, who missed the playoffs this season and haven’t won a postseason series since 2021.
