If Brendan Shanahan signs with the New York Islanders, he should recruit a few (former) Toronto Maple Leafs to join him.
Let's talk about Brendan Shanhan's tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs for a second. When he joined the franchise in 2014, he took over an organization that had endured one of their worst stretches of hockey in 50 years. Sure, the team made the playoffs in 2013, but that was a shortened season where the team wasn't as good as their record would suggest.
Shanahan revamped the organization, and changed the culture by sparking a rebuild. This franchise wasn't one to typically blow it up, but he sent a message to the fans that it was going to get worse before it got better, and it worked. The Leafs finished dead last in the NHL, but it payed off as they won the NHL Draft Lottery and drafted Auston Matthews.
Matthews helped turn this franchise around, as the team made the playoffs only one year into that rebuild and they haven't missed the postseason since. The Leafs now have the longest active playoff streak in the NHL, so as much as it's been a "disaster," Shanahan has done a lot more good than he has bad.
Should he have walked away from the core-four earlier and should have kept Kyle Dubas? In my opinion: Yes. However, overall, he's helped turn this team into a perennial playoff team, which is very impressive. I do think that firing Dubas and keeping Mitch Marner for two more years is a fireable offense and the team should hire a new President, but Shanahan should get a little more praise than what he's recieving.
The Shana-plan ultimately failed, but overall he did more than enough good than harm for this franchise and the fanbase should thank him. With Shanahan seemingly out the door and headed to New York, I'd be shocked if his first order of business isn't trying to recruit some former players with him.
Shanahan should sign Tavares and Marner if he joins New York
Mitch Marner and John Tavares are pending UFA's and the New York Islanders need offense, so these two players could be a perfect fit. After winning the NHL Lottery, the Islanders will hold the No. 1 overall draft pick, so they could not only draft a future superstar, but they could sign two elite talents to go along with that selection.
I don't believe that Marner can bring a team a Stanley Cup on his own, but I know that a new fanbase will fall in love with him immediately. He'd score 30 goals, register 100 points and be the "superstar" that the Islanders desperately need. As for Tavares, doesn't it make a ton of sense for him to return to where it all started?
As much as the fanbase booed him relentlessly for leaving, they would all welcome him back if he re-signed in New York. The Islanders still have Anders Lee, Bo Horvat and Matthew Barzal signed next season, but will also have a projected $28M in cap-space, so they could sign both Tavares and Marner. Both of those additions should make them an immediate playoff team, and be a big boost to a franchise that is struggling.
Also, how funny would it be for the Leafs to win the Atlantic Division again next year and then have to cross-over and play the Islanders in the First Round?
Shanahan clearly had a love for Marner and Tavares, which is why Dubas got fired in the first place, so it wouldn't be shocking if one of the first things he did was try to bring them back. We'll see what happens, but I'd personally love to see it.