Former Leafs President Brendan Shanahan announces new job in hockey

It's been a while since we've heard the name Brendan Shanahan pop up in any major hockey capacity. The former Toronto Maple Leafs president had his contract expire back in May 2025, and since then he's been doing consulting work behind the scenes with the NHL and Hockey Canada. But on Thursday, the Hockey Hall of Famer officially stepped back into the spotlight with a new role that probably wasn't on anyone's bingo card.

Shanahan has been named the strategic adviser on the Professional Women's Hockey League for Kilmer Sports Ventures, the sports investment company owned by Larry Tanenbaum. If that name rings a bell, it should. Tanenbaum is the former co-owner of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, meaning this is essentially a reunion between two guys who spent over a decade working together in Toronto. Kilmer became a strategic capital partner in the PWHL back in June, reportedly investing around $100 million into the league, and also owns the WNBA's Toronto Tempo.

A Familiar Partnership With a New Purpose

Shanahan made it clear that the people involved were a big draw for him. He expressed excitement about reconnecting with Tanenbaum and also working alongside PWHL executive vice president Jayna Hefford, someone he had previously collaborated with when she led the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association and had a partnership with the Leafs. In Shanahan's words, women's hockey and women's sport in general are passions of his, and the opportunity to contribute in any way he could just made sense.

Tanenbaum, for his part, was equally enthusiastic about bringing Shanahan aboard. He praised the former NHLer as someone who embodies hockey's place in Canadian culture and called him "a superstar both on and off the ice." Kilmer holds the distinction of being the first and only Canadian investor in the PWHL since the league launched in 2023. The league started with six teams, expanded to eight last season, and is set to grow to twelve for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.

It's worth noting that Shanahan won't be running the day-to-day operations of anything within the PWHL or its teams. This is an advisory role, and he plans to continue his consulting work with the NHL as well as other hockey-related projects, including a nine-month review of men's junior hockey in Ontario that he recently completed for Hockey Canada. He mentioned that finding a better work-life balance has been important to him, noting that when he retired from playing back in 2009, he jumped into his next job within about two weeks and never really slowed down.

What This Means Going Forward

For those who don't remember, Shanahan had a decorated playing career spanning 21 NHL seasons with the Devils, Blues, Whalers, Red Wings, and Rangers. He won three Stanley Cups with Detroit in 1997, 1998, and 2002, represented Canada internationally on multiple occasions, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2013. He took over as Leafs president in April 2014 and held that position for 11 years before the team decided not to renew his deal.

There was some speculation after his departure from Toronto that he might land with another NHL franchise. The Islanders reportedly had good conversations with him, and when Steve Yzerman stepped down as GM of the Red Wings, Shanahan's name was floated as a potential fit given their history together. But none of those opportunities materialized, and Detroit ultimately went with Shawn Horcoff.

So instead of jumping back into the pressure cooker of running an NHL team, Shanahan is taking a different path. It's a role that lets him stay connected to the game he loves while also contributing to the growth of women's professional hockey at a pivotal time for the league. And honestly, don't be surprised if his name comes up again for an NHL front office position down the road. But for now, the PWHL just got a pretty significant stamp of credibility with one of hockey's most recognizable figures lending his expertise to its continued expansion.