Leafs no longer top priority

Propping up floundering basketball and soccer teams heads agenda for Tim Leiweke

So as Tim Leiweke arrives to assume the biggest sports job in the country — one that no Canadian was apparently qualified for — and tells people the Maple Leafs aren’t his No. 1 priority, the question is obvious: Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

“For right now, you cheer the Leafs on and try to stay out of their way,” is how Leiweke presented his hockey plans on a Friday evening conference call.

If that’s true — and those who follow the L.A. Kings might suggest don’t believe it for a second — then perhaps this is good news, as the combination of Tom Anselmi, Dave Nonis (“Noon-is” according to Leiweke) and Randy Carlyle has done a pretty good job producing the best hockey club this city has seen in nine years.

It could be argued the last thing the Leafs need now is another cook to stir the broth. Quiet and steady and noncontroversial seems to be working just fine in the post-Brian Burke era.

Change seems to be anything but necessary. On the other hand, listening to Leiweke list the Raptors and Toronto FC, the two biggest losers MLSE owns, as the two areas most requiring his attention, was enough to make a Leaf fan sigh with despair.

Maybe it’s quaint to believe this is still a hockey-centric organization, because really, it stopped being that a long time ago. But when the flashy new suit spends the bulk of his introductory press conference discussing his intention to have the Raps “aspire to be the Heat and the Lakers,” that’s tough to hear if you’re a Leafs fan.

Leiweke also openly discussed his dream of bringing a David Beckham-like soccer figure to Toronto FC, driving home the point that the Leafs are just one part of this massive operation and maybe not the biggest part.

Which, perhaps, is the modern reason why this hockey team never wins.

As MLSE has branched out into basketball, soccer, digital TV, condos, restaurants, bars and more, winning Stanley Cups hasn’t been the No. 1 priority of this organization for a long, long time.

Now Leiweke might argue that doesn’t have to be the case, that giant sports conglomerates don’t necessarily have to have one, sole focus, but can try to be good at many things.

The problem in Toronto, of course, is that MLSE hasn’t been good at anything in terms of competitive pro sports. So far, it’s biggest achievement has been to develop an American Hockey League team that made it to the league final last year.

The bigger and more diversified MLSE has become, the less successful it has become on the field, the court and the rink. It won’t be easy for fans to believe one big thinker can change all this, but maybe he can.

Leiweke was all about telling listeners about the 11 titles he and AEG were part of in L.A., and how on the West Coast he “got up every day pushing everyone to win championships.”

Both the Kings and the L.A. Galaxy did just that last season under Leiweke’s leadership, which gives this newcomer the heft that Richard Peddie, certainly, never had. Leiweke is absolutely a big name in North American sport, of that there is no doubt, with access to the offices of people like Gary Bettman, David Stern and Roger

It’s clear that the Maple Leafs are just one part of this massive MLSE operation and maybe not the biggest part.

Goodell with just a phone call.

Already there’s wild speculation about luring Phil Jackson to the Raptors, and determined talk about going hard after the 2015 NBA all-star game. He said he spoke with GM Bryan Colangelo, and that he will make a recommendation to the MLSE board about the future of the basketball boss.

Leiweke also spoke about his love for bringing an expensive designated player to the local soccer squad.

And the Leafs? He offered “enthusiasm,” and “an improved focus” on the mission of pursuing the Stanley Cup.

“I don’t think they need another GM,” he said.

Burke, who supposedly wasn’t the “style” of executive Bell and Rogers wanted, gave his stamp of approval to Leiweke.

“Big heart, huge intellect,” is how Burke described Leiweke in a text message to the Star. “A visionary and a good hire.”

The primary role of Leiweke, of course, will be to play frontman and shield ownership from criticism.

Bell boss George Cope, by the sounds of it, was enraged to be pinpointed as the instigator of the Burke putsch in January. He and whoever assumes the top job at Rogers from Nadir Mohammed will be happy to let Leiweke be the voice and the seeming decisionmaker of all big things.

With AEG, you never heard from the reclusive Philip Anschutz, as Leiweke did all the talking. With Burke gone, he will become the most quoted sports executive in town — bank on it.

“Occasionally my enthusiasm gets me into trouble,” he acknowledged.

To imagine whether Leiweke will be any kind of answer for MLSE depends on the question.

But whatever the answer, it won’t be delivered quietly.