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Report: Brendan Shanahan's job in danger?

Are the Shanaplan's days in Toronto numbered?

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Are the days of the infamously-named "Shanaplan" with the Toronto Maple Leafs numbered? 

With the Maple Leafs' parent organization, Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, bringing in a new president and CEO this April, current chairman Larry Tanenbaum could find himself on the outs before too long. And according to Maple Leafs Daily, that could present a unique problem to current Maple Leafs president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan. 

A short excerpt from their piece earlier today: 

"With a massive shift in ownership likely on the horizon, and the addition of Pelley, whom Leafs President and Alternate Govenor Brendan Shanahan will directly report to, Shanahan's future with the Leafs is murky at best. As Friedman and Grange have reported, Tanenbaum has often acted as a buffer and mediator between Bell and Rogers and a security blanket of sorts to Shanahan. In 2019, Shanahan signed a six-year contract worth between $25 million to $30 million, but as he enters the final year of that deal, with just one playoff series victory, he and the "Shanaplan" may be running out of time.

At the time of Kyle Dubas' shocking departure from the Leafs, The Athletic reported that Dubas and Shanahan were at odds as the latter reportedly blocked a handful of trades over Dubas' tenure. Although current GM Brad Treliving appears to have a longer leash than Dubas, Shanahan's leash has gotten shorter now that he will have to report directly to Pelley. Should the Leafs fail to go on a deep playoff run this season, or next, as it's doubtful MLSE would want to pay him to sit at home the way they did when the Leafs fired Mike Babcock, Shanahan's tenure with the Leafs could be coming to an end sooner than later."

Shanahan has served in his role with the Leafs since 2014. He's presided over a rebuilding process that has netted the Leafs some of the League's top talent in players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander, but the organization only has a single playoff series victory to show for it in the 10 years of his tenure. 

Shanahan also raised eyebrows this past summer by terminating general manager Kyle Dubas and replacing him with former Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving. His current deal runs through 2025, a six-year deal that he signed in 2019. 

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