A Loud Front Office Is Poison, So Is A Yes Man
Under Brian Burke the Toronto Maple Leafs were a media sideshow. He spent countless interviews “defending” the players and the organization with ridiculous tone and conversation.
By trying to deflect distraction he only created more. Having the equivalent of Donald Trump in hockey running media sessions only adds fuel to the fire, creating more turmoil around the franchise.
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After Burke was finally sacrificed by ownership for image purposes, not for his actual management deficiencies, Dave Nonis took over. He became ownership’s puppet and danced to any song but his own.
Nonis never appeared confident in any decision he was making, tip-toeing around every question like he was walking on glass. Information also leaked from the organization like a boat made of Swiss cheese in the middle of the Atlantic.
The franchise went from one extreme to the other with the flip of a switch.
With the new management team we’re getting silence, with a sporadic influx of explanation and transparency. There’s a clear goal and message without the non-sense that happened under previous groups.
Shanahan doesn’t have to explain anything, but it’s sure nice when he – or his team – does. After all, speculation is fun and entertaining.
The arrival of Lou Lamoriello signaled the closing of the rumor vault door. What gets out now is very selective. Even when a rumor gets out, the team doesn’t comment. There’s only speculation, not misinterpretation.
Shanahan was hired with a plan in tow and he’s exercising it without any of the side antics that fans and media had become accustomed to, and that’s a good thing. It’s the right thing.
This group is confident in what they do; they aren’t ignorantly over-confident, and they’re accepting of input from the entire staff. Decisions are made in the best interest of the organization, not themselves or how the ownership will view them.
Everyone gets their judgement day, but Shanahan and company seem to take a “cross that bridge when we get there” approach. It’s business as usual for them, everyday.
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