Leafs land Lou
Shanahan surprises everyone in choosing Lamoriello as new GM
Brendan Shanahan’s new-school Toronto Maple Leafs front office, one built on his philosophy of differing viewpoints has a new voice, and this one comes with some 30 years of NHL experience.
Shanahan, who’s a year into his duties as team president, believes new general manager Lou Lamoriello “will fit in very, very well and be an incredible boost” to what the Leafs are trying to accomplish. Shanahan went looking for experience to join Kyle Dubas, Mark Hunter and Brandon Pridham in management, and few haves more than Lamoriello.
“If I could map out or draw out a description of the kind of person that we wanted, it would be Lou,” Shanahan told a news conference Thursday. “I’ve always thought that there are certain advantages to hiring people on their way up that are looking to prove themselves and have that sort of hunger and energy to make a name for themselves. But I do think that we were lacking in some experience.”
In charge of the New Jersey Devils since 1987, the 72year-old Lamoriello was the longest-serving GM in NHL history. Along the way, his teams won the Stanley Cup three times,
Now, Lamoriello becomes an old-school GM working under the Hall of Fame player and overseeing assistants Hunter, Dubas and Pridham, also NHL management rookies. He’ll also work with coach Mike Babcock, who’s signed for eight years and US$50 million and has committed to a long-range plan for success.
“Brendan’s hired some very good people kind of a little bit on an entry level, at the levels they are coming into the league,” said Pittsburgh Penguins GM Jim Rutherford, who made a similar transition last year leaving the Carolina Hurricanes. “To add an experienced guy like Lou, I think it was very smart on the Leafs’ part, and it’ll be a good fit.”
Lamoriello’s fit the past 28 years was gripping the Devils’ reins and asserting almost total control. New Jersey was his team until Ray Shero took over as GM in May, leaving Lamoriello as team president.
Although Lamoriello said he was told he’d have autonomy as GM, Shanahan made it clear in conversations “the kind of environment and organization” of collaboration he was building. Lamoriello is OK with Shanahan not wearing a tie to work every day and might have to let Hunter keep his facial hair, and he’s fine with sharing decision-making responsibilities.
“No one makes any decision without consulting the people that are around them and their supporting staff,” Lamoriello said.
The process of remaking the Leafs is already under way. Since taking over, Shanahan fired several assistant coaches, executives and scouts, Randy Carlyle and Dave Nonis and presided over the trade of Phil Kessel to the Penguins. Yet there are still plenty of big decisions to make, as Kessel is unlikely to be the only core player sent packing.
Shanahan is still setting the vision, but now it’s Lamoriello’s job to execute it.
“We know the roster needs some work,” Lamoriello said. “You have to have a foundation before you can go anywhere. Yes, it could be slower, there could be more pain, because there could be more subtractions sometimes than additions to get that foundation with the right culture.”
Shanahan wanted someone with a wealth of experience in control. Among the handful of candidates he spoke with, Shanahan singled out former Washington Capitals GM George McPhee as a finalist.
Lamoriello had a relationship with the Leafs’ president dating to 1987, when he drafted Shanahan. Ultimately Shanahan convinced one of his mentors to sign on in Toronto and was willing to pay the compensation price of a third-round pick to hire him and sign himto a three-year deal.