The Toronto Maple Leafs are headed to the Stanley Cup Playoffs a year after finishing last in the NHL, and team president Brendan Shanahan has played a big part in the turnaround.
Shanahan joined the Leafs organization in 2014 from the NHL’s department of player safety.
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Tim Leiweke — the former president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment — was the man who brought Shanahan to Toronto, and has nothing but glowing praise to give to his recruit.
“I think the city is very fortunate to have Shanny, I think he’s a great leader — not (just) a good leader,” said Leiweke during an appearance on Prime Time Sports on Sportsnet The Fan 590. “I think getting Mike (Babcock) and getting Lou (Lamoriello), that is remarkable to have that triumvirate now.”
Leiweke’s tenure with MLSE lasted just over a year, leaving to found Oak View Group, a “global advisory, development and investment company for the sports and live entertainment industries” where he now works in Los Angeles.
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He still has a soft spot for the city he used to call home, however.
“It’s hard to beat L.A. and its weather, but Toronto’s people, the fans, the community, the media, the outreach, the passion, how nice they are, how great the city is to live in, it’s one of the greatest places on the face of the Earth.
“And all they really needed — I used to kid my friend Mr. (Paul) Beeston quite a bit when we’d have our lunches together — if we could ever get the teams to win, this would be the happiest place on earth.”
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