OverDrive - OverDrive - May 22, 2025 - Hour 1

Episode Date: May 22, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Dave Feschuk for Hour 1 on OverDrive! The guys discuss the Maple Leafs parting ways with Brendan Shanahan, the conclusion of the era with the team, the significance of the move towards the franchise and his tenure overview with the team. Hayes goes through the Shanahan experience and lists the lowlights of his tenure in Toronto.

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Good to see you, Dave. It's been a while. Been a while, fellas. How's it going? Nothing going on around here lately, eh? No, nothing. Nothing. No news today, right?

I guess I'm sure you're more connected than we would be down there. MLSC, there's a lot of buzz, right? What's going to happen with Shanahan? What's Keith Peli got in store? Yeah. All these different stories. What do you think is the process here, Fast Chalk? Are they just like sitting in a boardroom or is this like, is this the end of the line

or is this, how do we make this better? What the hell would you suggest would be going on here? Well there's so much change in the arrow dog like they met today the MLSC board there's no doubt about that what's come out of that meeting I think we'll probably find out about that I'm hearing maybe by next week Mr. Pelly would likely address Leafs Nation and what will here I mean until next week. Yeah next week. I mean what tomorrow's Friday I don't know if they're gonna do it tomorrow. I'd be shocked if they did tomorrow. You never know I guess But these guys are never in a rush. Oh, dog. These guys these guys are the richest guys in town. They take their time

They're not answering to us in a hurry and so so, but what's gonna happen, I mean, I think we can all see the writing on the wall here. You know, Brennan Shanahan ain't running this place anymore. It might be the end of presidents at MLSC in general, or the beginning of the end of presidents at MLSC in general if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly. So that would suggest Maasai, that would suggest, toronto fc is not going to have that the future of the are goes like not of these teams that you think fall under the umbrella of

mlsc or what it might be a case-by-case basis but let's not forget like before tim my wiki came to town about a decade ago brian burke was the president NGM of the Maple Leafs, right? Brian Colangelo was the president NGM of the Toronto Raptors. And Lewicki, who came from LA where they had some success with presidents in the AEG family, he decided to add this extra layer of a highly compensated executive that oversees the organization. He brought in Masai, he brought in Brennan Shanahan. But I've also heard people say, look, there's been some success there, but there's also

been a lot of money spent. Well, we have some news. This is great. MOC decided right as we're coming on the air, literally one minute ago, they tweeted out, that's it,anahan's shanahan's out this kind of feels like remember with the Babcock news where I'm like what happened what's going on Babcock's out here we are again I guess what five six years later but I'm just reading the news and the press release that was just released by the Maple Leafs and Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment

following the completion of the Maple Leaf 24-25 season with a loss in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs to the Florida Panthers, MLSE announced that the contract for team president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan would not be renewed this offseason. So that's, you know, you can words, they matter, you know, but that's effectively firing Shanahan, you know, like they're going to use the term his contract wasn't renewed, they could have renewed his contract, a little bit surprised it wasn't like mutually agreed, you know, like I thought Shanahan might try to get out in front of that mutually agreed to

I think moving on is appropriate. Like they could have like like you said they could have signed into a new contract they're moving on from them yes exactly it's yeah they've been there they're going a different direction no matter how you slice it is not coming back and i think in sports terms like maybe you guys would know better than me isn't an eleven year term with one organization basically in eternity is a long time. It's a long time. Yeah, long

So it's a great run. I think he did a lot of great things and When you just get down to the brass taxes He had a lot of belief in those players when he brought them in and he understood coming in here that It was difficult in Canadian markets to accumulate talent and when he got it He believed in them and he wanted to keep them and they could never pay him back that's that's kind of the gist of it like they could never break through because he believed in he said it time after time again if these guys get enough opportunities to go to break through and

thus far they just they couldn't do it they haven't done it yet well exactly i mean when you consider when he arrived we talked about it yesterday you know it's been building towards this all week really you know what what's he saw what happened on sunday night game seven immediately people went into the big picture conversation about shanahan about mariner about two bars those of the big three

and uh... shanahan to me felt like the most obvious one that they would be parting ways with and they would go in a different direction. And 11 years is a long, long time. Like it's a long time. You mentioned it, Dave. The guy who brought him in was Tim Lywiki. Yeah.

Lywiki was out of here before COVID hit. I mean, it's amazing. He left a long time ago. He wasn't here that long. No, Lywiki wasn't here that long. But there's been a lot of change in this city Within this organization within the ownership group. That's another thing you have to consider like, you know We'll hear we are going to hear from Keith Peli at some point and I'm on the air

So I can't read this full article to know exactly what their plans are tomorrow, you know 1 p.m. Tomorrow Okay, there you go. So 1 p.m. Tomorrow, that'll be Peli and I don't know if Trey livings up there I don't know what else comes with this on a Maple Leaf, you know one p m tomorrow there you go so one p m tomorrow that'll be pally and i don't know if tray livings up there i i don't know what else comes with this on a maple leaf you know front but uh... you've got a scenario here were bell is is out they no longer have equal power to rogers they have no more power to submit please sports and

entertainment they sold their their rights to that uh... larry tannenbaum i think it's been well reported on dave you can speak to this but not sure he's going to be a part of the program long-term and you have you're gonna get we're not far off from basically a solo you know and it is a corporation i mean rogers owns it you can recall it may please sports and Entertainment just a month or two ago,

did a full review of their operation and let go 10% of their workforce. So they've already started to move in a different direction. And I would have to believe they're moving in the direction of how Edward Rogers wants it all to be run and how Rogers wants it to be run and I can't imagine this will only be the Maple Leafs it likely will filter into the Raptors in Toronto FC and all the stadiums and how they operate in general I mean I think we're we're moving into a new era where the the MLSE of Rogers Bell Tannenbaum Le Wickey etc we're gonna we're moving into a new era and it

might be representative with the moving on of Brennan Shanahan. Without a doubt. I mean, it feels that way. But to your point, O-Dog, about 11 years, it is amazing. Like you think about this, he's had, Shanahan has had five coaches, five GMs, if you count Mark Hunter's very short tenure as a co-GM on an interim

basis when they were kind of figuring out whether it would be Dubis or Hunter. He was here when Randy Carlisle was here. It's amazing. Dave Nones, how long ago was that? So it's a hell of a run. He got the six-year extension after his first five years without the team really doing anything in the playoffs. And so it's it's an amazing run. The amazing kind of testament to Brennan Shanahan's ability to walk into a room and sell his vision. Problem was the vision never panned out the way he wanted it to. vision, problem was the vision never panned out the way he wanted it to. Yeah, it didn't get over the top.

But, you know, as we've been talking about all week, it's, you know, you've been knocking on the same door for about five years now, right? You're at the same door for five years about just trying to get to that, not even the final level because they've only been in the second round, but that third level, eventually the fourth level, and then the fifth level is actually winning the Stanley Cup The thing is when he took over this team was in storage room be you know, they were in the basement of Everything in terms of the way they rent everyone in terms of like having absolutely no hope no feeling of optimism

No connection to their history And Shanahan came in and I think the first four or five years on the job Did almost everything right like almost everything perfectly from you know bringing in Lou Getting Babcock they drafted Nylander then they drafted Marner then they win the lottery which I believe was ten years ago tonight Irony, but I believe it was 10 years ago tonight that that they won the lottery and obviously then they take Matthews and boom you're off and running the issue has been you know the last three or four years like you said oh he was so blinded by his philosophy I think stubborn to his philosophy, I think concerned, overly

concerned in my opinion of, well you got to find guys that like it here or are willing to be here as if it's some purgatory. You know Toronto's so tough, I think he bought in in many ways to the how tough it is in Toronto and I think that a lot of that filtered through the franchise. It's so tough, It's so difficult. People are going to be tough on you. There's so much history. That and a combination of he found players that liked it here.

To get a William Nylander that actually liked being here. Hometown kid Mitch Marner that liked being here. It was like at that particular time there was a lot of going around the league of I don't want to play in Canada. Why would I want to do that? And he came upon these players and it was like, we finally got some guys that are talented that want to be here. To a fault.

But that's my point. That's what I'm saying. It's, yes, sure you want them here, but you don't just say you get everything because you're willing to be here. That's what I'm arguing. I'm not against the idea that you want people in your market and this is a unique market and it's no different than anywhere else. It's just he allowed the players to take advantage of that, in my opinion, with the contract

negotiations and everything. Again, got blinded by the talent, which you understand. He would not be alone in that. I don't think that's you know necessarily a fatal flaw but it got to a point where other good players left and other ingredients weren't brought in because it was about the four guys doing it you know and Morgan Riley maybe being the fifth. Yet at the same time 11 years here playoffs nine straight a well-respected organization you know there's a lot of good things that have happened here in 11 years and I have no doubt he will be

sought after that's the that's the other amazing thing and that's the reality of pro sports Mitch Marner is gonna be sought after if tomorrow's is there on July 1st he's gonna get a lot of calls Shanahan he may walk right into another job by tomorrow night yeah well shot after it's kind of funny how he broke up with lou and now if he feels like lou and shanahan you're getting back together because down the island yourself all the lammer is very much involved still down the island right he's he's got a deal to be the advisor to the owner down there

what is that role advisor to the owner now well that's a great role, O'Dog. You want to be friends with the guy with the most money in the building, right? Sounds like Lou's got a nice relationship there. Even though Shani passed over Lou for his wonder boy, Kyle Dubas, at some point in their relationship, and there's obviously some hard feelings when that thing went down. Sounds as though, you know, the relationship which is very real. I believe that, you know, Shanahan talks about Lou Lammerill like almost like a second father. The guy who drafted him into the NHL and taught him so much about how to become a player and a man and a professional in the league. It

sounds like they're, you know know on the way to get back together uh... that should be a fun spicy uh... three-headed monster there with lou shanny and patrick was fellows we make it out i'm not i'm not sure that's gonna work i don't think patrick walkers who's around exactly was thing like but those are all guys with a lot of confidence a lot of lot of lot of reasons for confidence that border on arrogance but I think Patrick Wall would look at Brendan Shanahan which would be incredible if

that happens there's one of the faces of the Detroit Red Wings one of the faces of the Colorado Avalanche the two of the meeting in midair at center ice in that famous fight what a play the idea that they would be working together I'm sure wall would respect him but I think wall would make it pretty clear pretty quickly. I'm running this operation and this is the way it goes with Patrick wall, but we'll see if that ends up happening. Maybe, maybe Shanahan doesn't want that job. Maybe he waits for something else. Maybe. But ultimately, you know, this is news that I think we were preparing for all week that that Shanahan Would be let go and I'm curious to see what this means, you know for for proud tree-living If he's staying which I presume he will does he have more power

Does he all of a sudden have more power to do things that maybe he couldn't do as of yesterday? You know what happens? How does Marner feel about this? How does Tavares feel about this? How does Matthews and Nylander feel about this? You know, Austin Matthews is connected to Brendan Shanahan as anyone else in his hockey career, right? It could have effects. I really think Mitch Marner is gonna go play somewhere else, but It could have a big-time effect on other decisions because of Brad tree livings the GM and he kind of had thoughts on his own, where it'd be like, I don't know if they were differing and he's allowed to make the call himself

now, maybe there's different decisions that are going to be made. So who knows how those play out. I'm sure Brad Tree Living isn't going anywhere either. And it's not that for people that are like, this is shocking. I played a long time in the league for the Carolina Hurricanes. There was Peter Carmanos, the owner, and then there was Jim Rutherford, the GM. There was nothing in between. The hockey guy does the hockey things.

I'm sure big transactions, contract signings, they got to be approved by the owner, of course. But that's how it's been for a lot of places for a long time. There's still no president in Carolina like this. Yeah. You know what I not that it's not that odd uh... you know you've definitely heard people say around the league around pro sports in general that it may be in some ways that this era of analytics and optimization and you know so it's throwing money at problems that

you know powerful organizations like m l s e who have endless resources in terms of finances, maybe it kind of leads to this sort of bloated hierarchy where there's so many people working there that nobody knows what anybody does and nobody's really truly responsible, maybe other than the guy right at the top. And so maybe there is something to be said for a little bit of streamlining and certainly if you're into cost cutting,, I can definitely make that make that argument Well, and that's the the interesting thing like fancy or cost cutting and I think it makes you wince a little bit, right? You're like, okay. Well, what is that? Where else are you going to cut?

But I think it's been well stated and well documented for years that the Leafs Operations are so bloated, you know, they have so many people. Pages and pages of staff. Yes, like almost anyone that's ever played for the team is an assistant to the assistant of the assistant's assistant. Yes. And you know, it's just endless how many people are working down there.

But what Shanahan also had, you know, his fingerprints on was the way, you know, they did business, the way season ticket holders were handled, the way game ops were handled. He was involved in that. He was heavily involved in game operations in terms of what was the goal song. Remember that? There was all this discussion.

That was his call, I believe, to either go with what it was going to be, stick with what it was going to be, move on from was going to be move on from it eventually how to handle the alumni you know i like an important one for me has to see those guys that played for the lease for a long time i don't even consider myself one of them i was there for two years but to see them go to the game and have the ability to go to the game where the jacket be remembered and just have a a place to sit and watch the leaf came if you just uh...

do so choose. It meant a lot to me to see for those guys, not for me, for those guys. So that was awesome. Yes, absolutely. And I'd like to believe that continues. You've been in there a bunch and you saw what goes on. It's a nice thing for the guys. Incredible operation.

Incredible operation. That's a great point, O'Daw, because I think, you know, sometimes gets overlooked. It's, you know, people pile on Shanahan's faults, and for good reason. Like he's had an awfully long time, and an awfully long leash, and hasn't been able to get it done when it matters as an executive. But like early in his tenure, he did a lot of the right things, like the, you know, the retiring of the numbers that had been kind of honored all those years. Legends Row, all of the legends role and

you know we making the crest you know sort of trying to restore the pride in the franchise and and the the the heritage in the franchise i think all those things he he got all that stuff and he understood all that stuff and that was really important i can't be lost out can't be lost that's what that would be a concern. Like I get it, if you're a fan, what happens in the alumni box does not affect you. I understand that.

Like a guy driving around doesn't care about. Doesn't care at all. Yeah. That's understandable. But it's important stuff in terms of the way your franchise is run, in terms of connecting with the history, in terms of your, because again, prior to him arriving, there were some real embarrassments in terms of the way some things went down and the way some things were handled. You know, so you, that would be the concern, I think. What Shanahan kind of

represented was steadiness, was class, was an operation that wasn't easily goofed on. Yes, you could look at their playoff history and their performances. I get it, of course. But this wasn't some rudderless ship. And I don't think you should immediately anticipate that it will become that. I don't think it will become that but it's no Shanahan is no longer here to to keep those checks and balances You know and vote so to speak like now It's Pelly and this is where the thing is if Keith Pelly is gonna do the whole thing

Well, he's got the Leafs and the Raptors and TFC and the Argos dude. That's what I don't that's a lot It's a lot on that. What is that guy? Like it's tough enough looking after one team. Yeah one element of a team What is he gonna do like he doesn't know squat about playing hockey? So what is he gonna do oversee hockey operations? It can't happen right there I mean it has in the past where guys have been like the reality of it is if you're going up the chain You've got a you got to run it by someone in a suit. I want to hire this person. I want to fire that person.

What you hope doesn't happen is whoever that happens to be doesn't start thinking that they're all of a sudden something that they're not. That is very concerning. A lot of smart people, like our boss, Jay Max, he's a smart guy, but he can't go run the Leafs. Sorry. Jay Max, you can't do it. I i'm sorry i don't know why he's taking straight i mean why you saying he's got it i don't i wouldn't i he doesn't need to be running the maple leaf i don't think hockey is his expertise he's busy enough with you and i and what's

going on here he's got a phone text me j mac don't come at me he's got a lot on his plate to defend pally i mean he pally did play college hockey i believe university come at me it's got a lot of this plate the fed well i mean he did heli did play college hockey of the university hockey at right at the only idea that i was there are a lot of person and negotiating the guy was running the european tour two years ago and all the sudden is going to be making trades what's no he's not making a trail it's well he's not he's not a lot of it care he's a nice guy i i don't know what he does reliving his i'm assuming running the show here again breaking news is our

brendan shanahan uh... has been let go with a lease or his contract will not be ready to go ahead and you know but i guess the the point you making the load on his intellect when you remove the layer of of team president and it's a direct report from the gm to the cio keith belly yeah well how does that affect things does Does he become the new Shanahan essentially? Good question, it's a really good question.

The idea was that the layer of the president was worried about the organization, where the GM was maybe worried about the team. In other words, the president had the big picture in mind more often, the GM's worried about making a play class right now and we now those two things kinda had to go together obviously in in you can't really

separate one from the other but that that was the idea behind the extra layer and whether they're gonna you know get rid of extra layer with all the other frances who knows i think it's gonna be a case-by-case basis ms iu juries ten years obviously tied to the Sunset Clause in Larry Tanabom's ownership deal, which is going to come to an end next year, like 13 months from now or so. So obviously, Masayi's going to want some clarity on his future in very short order, because he's not going to want to go into essentially what is a lame

duck year without a contract, because that can cause all kinds of uncertainties. He sees what's going on. I mean this is a Maple Leaf story but it's a Maple Leaf sports and entertainment story just as much. And Messiah's not a stupid guy. Like Messiah's savvy and just like Shanahan, Shanahan would have sniffed this out. Shanahan, I'm sure he anticipated this was coming. He maybe wanted to find a way to Survive it or get through it I think it does raise the question like when Pelley arrived last year and did his assessment and moved on from other people in different Parts of the organization why he committed to one more year with Shanahan, but he chose to And again, they had a really great regular season made it to the second round

This is not like they were they finished with 78 points. They they had a lot of good things go their way this year But yeah, I do think if you're Messiah That is the next story here. That's the next chapter like if this is a new Basically a new game plan being laid down from ownership through keith pally that i i want more streamlining i want a i i want less people around i don't need because you have the president's make the most money as an old you know like the gm's make good money the president's are making a fortune

like miss i've making a fortune well didn't like wiki do that when he got here. He was chopping people. Let he chopped left Everybody was out and shanahan did the same thing He set up a giant tent at the C&E and got people in line and said you're gone. You're gone Yeah, you're gone. Oh, he came in and just cut and cut and cut and That's what generally happens when you get a new guy at the top You know and again Pelley Pelley streamlined through MLSC and just announced it a month or two ago. Like they shaved off 10% of their workforce already. This is different, this is more unique. But alright, breaking news this hour, Brennan

Shanahan not returning as the president of the Maple Leafs after 11 years. I just happen to have a couple of lists that I was going to get to this afternoon. The five highlights of the Shanahan era and the five low lights of the Shanahan era. So I don't know if you guys are interested in hearing those and I'm sure you're interested in debating those. You had me at list. I have a two pack of a list. I got both sides of the coin. All right.

So we're going to run off those lists. We'll get to those. We've got Frankie Corrado coming up today. We've got Pierre Lebrun that will join us today Kevin Harlan was out the garden calling that unbelievable basketball game last night last night was why it was the witching hour Well, the Oilers were choking the Knicks were choking like it was just crazy back and forth action in Dallas and in New York So we'll recap both of those two games and what we saw last night and in New York. So we'll recap both of those two games and what we saw last night. And again when you consider what what could happen tonight down in Carolina your old stomping ground we got Florida and Carolina and Florida looking

to go up to nothing in that series. Also the Jays and the Padres still playing. Jays looking for a sweep in that three game series. So we're tracking that as well. Dave Festruck's in here, the O-Dog Jeff O'Neil I'm Brian Hayes breaking news this hour Brendan Shanahan is out here in Toronto more on that still to come overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. Alright overdrive continues powered by FanDuel bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score Brian Hayes the O-Dog Jeff O'Neil Dave Dave Festruck of the Toronto Star, Brendan Shanahan out in Toronto. And Shanahan issued a statement himself, you know, and he referenced the rebuild that he

had to take over when he got here and that it was an honor to be here for 11 years, that he's from here, he was raised here. But he said in the end ultimately i was here to deliver and win a stanley cop and did not do that what i found interesting is the beginning of it he said you know he showed up at the meeting today and that's when he was told uh... you know or the lease are moving on

uh... again not one of those not that it matters but not a mutually agreed like and shanahan wanted to stay here finish the job and i i'd like that Again, not one of those, not that it matters, but not a mutually agreed, like I think Shanahan wanted to stay here and finish the job. And I like that part of the attitude. You don't want to see anyone lose their gig, but Brendan will be fine. I mean, he's Hall of Famer. He's been doing this for a long time. He's going to get another gig.

If he wants it, he will get another one in the NHL. I have no doubt about that. But I kind of was thinking about that today. I was chatting with somebody about the idea of Marner or Tavares or Shanahan, whoever it was going to be, like making their case that the reason you really want to stay is just because you desperately want to win. Not for the money, not because it's comfortable, not because it's convenient, not because of the perks or the celebrity.

I've never heard any of them talk like that i never have i never have and uh... you know i i'm not gonna suggest that's exactly what i took out of the shantahan uh... announcement there or statement but he did you know he didn't try to run from it but he wasn't sent i'm ready for a change he's like now they they didn't want me more and i didn't win but that's why came here i wanted to win and it didn't get you didn't get done, and I appreciate that and again

I'm not expecting to hear that from Marner if he leaves, but it would be nice Be nice for him to say man I really wish we won over the nine years as opposed to I didn't ever talk like that I said it all season and you brought it up in the past days They don't ever talk about their burning desire Only job this year is cup Copper butt like they don't talk like that Which just makes you wonder and by the way for all the losers out there that are sending me messages saying that I'm taking shots Personally, I don't take any shots personally

I just kind of make assessments and as an analyst you call what you view or what you see So I don't I don't take personal shot. I have nothing against any of these guys But then together as a hockey team, I have to make assessments about that. I don't know them personally I don't take this personally. So for you losers People stop you on the street and no it just like people on twitter the like that seems like a lot of got a problem with marter personal showdowns and what you come on talking about man oh dog everybody gets that really rather than i was this time on tv talking about guys that go on tv and play hockey and that's what i do that's it yeah no personal

shots i have no idea what the hell you talk i would probably get along great with these guys I'm not sure I'm not sure about that. Oh dog, but that might be a stretch I might be a stretch, but that is I will say this though about that Why don't you think I would I don't know you probably would you guys would connect alumni? Yeah alumni jackets They're asking I'm just I'm a guy's guy. I'm a hockey player heart i would get along great with the i think you're probably right may add to it no i just you know the point you guys are making about

not hearing these guys express a burning desire to win like we reported in the star last summer that as kyle do was leaving the building that was one of his observations that kyle dubas the guy who defended these guys and went to bat for these guys and gave these guys all the money they wanted. At the end of it all, Kyle Dubas made the assessment that these guys didn't care enough about losing. It didn't hurt them enough. It didn't leave a gaping wound in their heart that

made them want to come back and win. We just mentioned that, Chuck, the other day. Like it's so easy for them to just get in front of the camera and be like, yeah, it was a crappy is a crappy game that's it and going to the World Championships yeah we got good chemistry we love each other see you later now you know we got to work on our structure we'll get them next year it's just so easy and now what I found amazing is and it's just like I pick up like just I look at stupid things I don't know that's just what I do but they we posted a video of nine years of kind of the same speeches from all the guys. Pretty crazy in nine years for five different guys, not one scratch. Not one scratch on their face. How could you possibly think that you're

winning a Stanley Cup if all of your best players, five times nine is 45. 45 different appearances, not one scratch, that's impossible. That should be impossible. Yet it is possible and that explains why they're in the situation they're in. Because you don't get a lot of scratches during the regular season, right? Like you get some, you get some, but you don't get a lot. Or you can avoid them and still win. Can't avoid them in the playoffs well and maybe that's you know to me when I think about you know shanahan's biggest mistakes

and and and there were there were a handful that got into work they are but you know hearing everybody talk about all its they can't survive the pressure cooker of Toronto. I know people believe that. I don't believe it. But I actually believe that the position they were put in by Shanahan, to be the thing he wanted them to be, to be clutch, to be big game players.

He kept insisting they could be that. He talked about killer instinct four years ago when they choked it up against Montreal. And he said they could acquire it They could develop it from within I actually think that pressure To miscasting these guys as something they were not which is big game players That might have been the biggest mistake like believing these guys could be something that a lot of us four or five years ago thought they could never be or

Using the same brush to paint them all in that light. I think that also was a part of it because I was watching that clip it was during COVID so it was over zoom and I was after the Habs loss and you know you referenced all these other great players who have had to you know pick up the scar tissue across the way. And we know who they are famously. We all use it. Steve Isaman and Alex Ovechkin. We've heard them all. We all know it.

But you'll notice with Steve Isaman and the Red Wings, there weren't three other guys that did it for 13 years. There was one guy. And with Ovechkin, it wasn't, well, it's Ovechkin and these three other guys. That was it like you could you had to evaluate one or two of them you would think and look at it and say we got that wrong that guy's not wired this way that guy actually everyone asked me for the last eleven years brian and when you just talk about that transaction of brendan shanahan

being the missing link in Detroit how Brendan Shanahan the president it didn't try to acquire or bring in more Brendan Shanahan's and it like as a president and let me just quantify this by saying like this guy's a friend of mine he was my linemate in Hartford he's a friend of mine and I never we talked a lot we never talked about hockey we occasionally talk about the odd player but I got a job at TSN He had a job with the Leafs and I didn't say hey that guy I don't like that guy It just now our conversations never went like that, but that's what the fans asked me all the time

How come Brendan Shanahan never like his view of the game is not the same as when he was a player And why didn't a Brendan Shanahan come in here? That's the biggest question people had. It's a great question. And we reference in modern times, it's that Matthew Kachuck to Florida trade. The original one was Shanahan to Detroit. Thank you very much. That was the original one. The original Matthew Kachuck was Shanahan. Only he was better, probably, like the way he played and what he was capable of doing.

There was a 50 goal man that had 200 penalty mounts. Yeah. Not hard to find. It's 600 goals in his career. Or hard to find. Very hard to find. And stepped in there and brought a completely different approach and different attitude and helped them, which was already a great team, get over the top.

Now we're also in a different era. To be fair, it's not 1996 anymore where five teams spend the most money and everyone else can't pay. That's not the world we live in five teams spend the most money and everyone else can't pay that's not the world we live in a more it's more maybe more difficult not probably is more difficult you can't just buy up a team you can't you can't just find different pieces and be willing to pay them uh... so we're definitely living in a different era but uh... listen the shana the shana plan and the shana hann era

uh... time is is going to have to pass before you truly evaluate it compared to other eras. But with this team, when you consider the bar, it's going to be revered, I think, over time. I think we're in the midst of right now the shock and the embarrassment of game seven and I think fans collectively have had enough of the last nine, ten, eleven years of just not being good enough or not quite being there or hearing the same thing after every season. But I was saying that with what was on the line game seven, that those players and this team could have simply met the bar

that has been established for the last forty years and that's the conference final like that's that's where the ninety three and ninety four team went that's where the ninety nine and oh two team one there's a lot of teams in this league or handful anyway that would laugh at that that that's the bar obviously florida being one of them them, Tampa, Vegas, Edmonton probably now, maybe Boston, Colorado, there's, you know, we know the teams that would look at that

and say that's not acceptable. I could run off 15 teams right now that would do anything for that to be the bar, considering what they've gone through the last 10 or 15 years. But that's what it's been. Like it's just reaching the conference final would have been considered a remarkable accomplishment. The fact that they were knocking on the door for quite some time, I think over time people

look back on the Shanahan era and say, well, compared to the Burke era, it was a great one. Compared to a couple of other eras in there, it was an amazing era. It was, but it's also there's like some stockholm syndrome in this day that because they never win the cup and it almost feels impossible to even dream of that if you're a leaf and uh... this will probably be a an era that that may be revered

especially if it gets worse you know if it two or three years there in a worse position and the sh Shanahan era will actually get even more love once we move into the future. Yeah, well, it's going to be hard to get better quickly, right? Like, if you're losing people for nothing in free agency, thanks to your terrible asset management of key assets, that's difficult to recover from, especially when you traded

away first round picks in 2025, 2026, and 2027 in deals that were win now you know deals that that's how you sort of slide into a bad place in this league right if you're not careful now there's there's also reasons to believe that you hey that's today happening is why you move first round picks because everyone's philosophy is I might not be around when it comes time to pay the piper for those picks not being here. That's why every GM does that or every president they're like we won't be here to deal with the the fallout of first round picks in 2027 so you got to pull the trigger on it to try to make your team better. Right but you know Shanahan

was supposed to be the guy that was the guardian of that the guardian of the organization the guardian of the big picture, right? And he sort of, I think probably he realized the writing was on the wall and he was up against it and he had to win now as much as anybody, as much as maybe more than the GM who just got here and can't be really culpable for a lot of the stuff that's going on. I think that's valid. I think both of those are true. All right, I've got my

five highlights of the Shanahan era, five low lights. We'll come back with one of the five. We'll get to the other five into the five PMR. We'll spread these out. You tell me, I'll let you pick. Do you want to go glass half full to start, glass half empty? Hold that thought. Hold that thought. Think on it. Think on it. We'll kickstart these lists uh... frankie carotto coming up here the brun later this afternoon kevin harland will join us overdrive continues t s and ten fifty and the t s and up frankie carotto about twenty minutes uh... breaking news this hour uh... brendan shanahan has been let go by the may police no longer the

president of the club after eleven years his contract was up the end of next month and uh... they had a board meeting this morning and shanahan was uh... made aware that he he will not be returning so now the doors open for him to to go anywhere and he's you know the islanders asked for permission to speak with him they were granted that permission that was clearly a sign we talked about yesterday never a good sign that the teams could keep you around when they allow you to speak to somebody

else and also shanahan is so in the obvious yeah i was if you allow someone yeah you're done yet so it's over and shanahan i think would have known that yes um... so you know we'll see what what happens with him if he takes that job if he gets that job on long island or if you go somewhere else but eleven years man there's there's been a lot of ups and downs. And I've got my personal five highlights of the Shanahan era.

I've got the five lowlights. Oh, you're generally a very rosy and optimistic guy. And you see that. Do you want me to go with the highlights, the lowlights? What do you want me to start with? Because we'll spread this out. You can spread it out. Let's just do your lowlights then. You want to start with because we'll spread this out and spread it out let's just do your low lights that you want to start with the low lights because

then later in the show we can be in happier about the good things that he broke a now that this is uh... okay i get the five pack the low lights the shanahan era now there's a bar variety of different things here right some are very specific to a game to a player to a trade to you know kind of a scenario in general. These are subjective. These are mine.

You guys can debate me on this. Number five, this may surprise you, but number five, I have game seven versus the Panthers 20-25. I have the game seven from Sunday night as a low light. Them getting embarrassed, jerseys being thrown on the ice Just the mood in there people getting booed them saluting the crowd and getting booed off the ice at the it was really It was not positive So I got the game itself you could argue maybe game five could be in there the series

But I have game seven versus the Panthers at number five that was an ugly situation in there the series but I have game seven versus the Panthers at number five. That was an ugly situation in there. Yeah. Like there was they were panning him in the box as soon as that one I think it was Luz de Rhin and that tipped one in past Joseph Wall you could see Shani's face it was almost like it all came together at that moment and he probably realized that that it not just this game is over all of it was over yeah that's the one that i saw i agree with you i i was watching that because the tv's are up there the press party you know it david

they were shown a lot more than they had been earlier in the series uh... and earlier in the playoffs yeah even hiding pretty successfully had done a pretty good job of staying out of their stand out of the way as much as possible uh... that's another thing like never did media This is off track, but he hasn't been on our show in five years Like not not that it matters, but he used to come on it should I think the president of the club should probably do media every once in a while

No wonder why the players have no accountability or ever have to do anything or ever have to talk or what? But anyway, he game seven versus the Panthers at number five, number four, I have the Nas and Kadri trade, the Kadri traded for. Now at the moment, at the time it was, it was crazy. It was loud. He had been suspended for the second time, really stupid suspension. Tavares was here and it was well, JT's here, it's Austin and JT, Nas is going to be a third line guy, can't fit in. But this one got worse with time and now it's one of the worst trades in the history of the franchise.

There's no other way to put it. There's no question. I mean you had a guy that was needed, like he was the Shanahan going to Colorado in some like fashions But mind you this first year there. Yes, it's better for the whole foothills He did in Colorado as well, but I don't care like the way these guys were playing hockey I told you guys the story Bobby Mack was like that's probably it for cadre And I said that there's just no way not only because I thought he was a great player And he was physical because he had an unbelievable contract.

He had a great contract. 4.5 million for a few more years. 4.5 million for a few more years. It was insane. And you know, Shanahan obviously always wanted guys that wanted to be here. No one wanted it more than Nas. Nobody wanted to be a Maple Leaf more than Kadri, except for possibly my guy at number three and that is the number three low light of the shenan era letting Zach Hyman walk.

Like that guy, there's no reason why he ever left for $5 million a year. And then they were signing, you know, they kept Kerfoot and Hall was here and Morazzic was getting paid. Like it was like, what are you guys doing with that money? How is he not, like the other guys, you gotta pay, gotta keep. But Hyman's where you cut it off and say no thank you? It made no sense because when Nas has talked about how he felt he got traded because he wasn't a Dubis guy, right?

He was more of a Lou guy. When Dubis took over, Dubis really didn't have his back and so out the door to save a million bucks and bring back Kerfoot a little cheaper. But the weird thing about Hyman was Hyman was a Dubas guy. Like Dubas actually plucked him from obscurity as a Florida draft pick and brought him here and he was a massive success and he is something they haven't had since he left. To your point, Hayes, and they've regretted it ever since so they should have, they should regret it

Yep All right So the five lowlights of the Shanahan era at number five game seven on Sunday against the Panthers number four the cadre deal number Three the Hyman walking for nothing in free agency number two blowing a 3-1 lead to the Habs That one rings out more than all the other losses for me because of who you're playing against No, what's that? That's not to be what number one? rings out more than all the other losses for me because of who you're playing against. What's that? No.

Number one I don't think will surprise you. It's not a specific moment. So you got to expand your imagination for these lists a little bit. But I don't think number one will shock you. It may. You may argue with it. You may argue that this should be number one. I wouldn't be offended if you thought blowing a 3-1 lead

to your biggest rival when you ran away with the season that year and it was right in front of you and you finally were going to break through and you just fall apart in the fashion that you did should be at number one. But I have blowing the 3-1 lead to the halves at number two on my list. And I'll just throw out number one, you guys can react. Contract negotiations with the core four. That's number one. And for me, like we can talk about Dubas and Lew, we can talk about the players, we can talk about the salary cap, we can talk about the agents and the power that they have. I'm sorry. When I look back on the Shanahan era from a negative standpoint him allowing them to get the deals they got are absolutely outrageous.

Like there's no excuse why like why is Mitch Marner even a free agent right now? How did you not demand he signs an eight year deal? Like how is Austin Matthews not wrapping up his his eighth year of that second contract and less money than it is. He's already into year two of the next one getting crazy money. It's because that Austin Matthews is the best goal scorer in the game and he basically said it's going to be my way or I'm not going to sign here.

That was the alternative. And he was a restricted free agent. I hear you. I know, but I'm just saying that's probably how that transaction would have went down maybe when you later David would have done that he signed it got him to sign for eight years I have no idea but I'm just guessing on how those negotiations I hear you and I'm sure that was was his stance I'm not just I'm not disputing the players were yeah but yeah like for your extension no I'm gonna request the trade into Arizona or out west so take it or leave it that's my that's my stance well

that if you have it if that if you allow that to happen then that you get everything that's happened since yeah and i think or dot i think that's where you know he talked about restoring this franchise the prominence it's got to mean something to be a toronto may believe that that's where you had to have that speech where it's like you either want

to be a Toronto Maple Leaf and bring us a cup or you don't and I got to know who 's gonna have that stance and you want to play the role where it's like you got to have the true belief in being a Leaf you also got to have the stones to pull the trigger and move the player yes like you know what I'm saying yeah I'm saying Austin it could have started way back in minnesota with william neil anders do not have done it and that at the midnight hour where it was like okay you want to piss around like this we're going to trade you that well should assume and that's where the

shanahan if it was loose still in charge at that point a lot of people i talk to in the industry around that time said louis said you know what go play in the cage l in a year and call me you know sees for your only like c l a m a trade it would have said go play in the cage L in a year and call me you know see for a year Oh, like see a little bit of trade it would have said go play in Russia Yeah, you like it You like Russia and then get back to us if you want to be a trompe a belief Yeah, it had to mean something and that's what I think a lot of people in the industry found the most frustrating About Shanahan's entire reign is that he never he never got in a room with those guys to our knowledge and said

There's a pie here fellas and you guys divided up among yourselves, but if we want to win, it can't be 50% of the salary cap or 52% of the salary cap. We've got to be smart here about how we deal with this salary cap issue and it's got to involve you more than it involves your agents. Yep, and it didn't, and bio accounts didn't happen and now we're in the scenario we're in. All right, Hour 2 coming up.

The highlights, the highlights, they're coming too, the Shanahan era. Overdrive continues. Hosted by Bryan Adams himself. Join me for an insider look on a wild ride through 40 years of global rock and roll. Bryan Adams Radio. Now available on the free iHeartRadio app. Or ask your smart speaker to play Bryan Adams Radio on iHeartRadio. Who's ready to rock?