National Post (National Edition)
Rangers following Leafs’ rebuilding blueprint
Is there a trademark on the so-called “Shanaplan”? If not, the Toronto Maple Leafs may want to talk to a copyright lawyer. A couple of years after team president Brendan Shanahan and head coach Mike Babcock told fans that “pain was coming,” the New York Rangers’ front office wrote an open letter in February asking their fans “to remain by our side as we undertake this exciting new chapter filled with promise and change.”
In other words, the Rangers were headed for a rebuild.
For a team that had been on the bubble of making the playoffs, it was a shocking — if not refreshing announcement — that whatever New York had been doing was simply not good enough. And, according to Rangers GM Jeff Gorton, it was inspired after watching the Leafs go through a similar transformation.
“When we came out with the rebuild plan, this was one of the teams we were looking at for sure,” Gorton said. “Clearly, Toronto came out and had a plan and I think Brendan (Shanahan) went public with it and then they did a lot of the things that they said they were going to do.
“I think as you do a rebuild, that’s one of the teams you’re looking in the league that you have to say, ‘OK, we can do it.’ ”
Since that letter, the Rangers kept their promise and cleaned house. They traded Rick Nash and Nick Holden to Boston, Michael Grabner to New Jersey — and sent captain Ryan McDonagh and winger J.T. Miller to Tampa Bay. In return, New York acquired two first-round draft picks, four top prospects (Brett Howden, Libor Hajek, Igor Rykov and Ryan Lindgren) and much more.
It was a risky move, said Gorton, one that he and team president Glen Sather did not take lightly. But so far, the fans have been on board.
“I think people like the fact that we came out and told them what our plan was rather than keep it behind closed doors.”
It helps that the Rangers had a blueprint from which to follow. Though the Leafs had spent several years spinning their wheels, ever since Shanahan, Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock were hired, the organization has followed a singular vision towards sustained success.
It’s all there in the plan — something that Lamoriello said is a constant reminder to not veer off the road in search of short-term gains.
“Going public — just saying this is what we’re going to do — indirectly what it does is it puts pressure on yourself and makes sure you keep it,” said the Leafs GM. “So it helps. But I think everyone has to be committed to doing it. Everyone has to be on the same page and to stay on the same page.
“You don’t rush it. That’s the most important thing. You can’t rush it.”
As promised, there was initial pain with Toronto finishing last in 2015-16. But after drafting Auston Matthews with the No. 1 overall pick, the Leafs were in the playoffs in 2016-17 and have the third best record in the Eastern Conference.
It’s a start, said Lamoriello. But it’s far from a finished product.
“We haven’t won a first round of the playoffs,” said the Leafs GM. “We’re still going, but we have a strong foundation. I think that’s the