Fansided

Maple Leafs’ President Brendan Shanahan Defends Team

By Catherine Silverman

facebooktwitterreddit

Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan addresses the rough start to the season

If there’s one thing the Toronto Maple Leafs have no shortage of, it’s scrutiny.

More from NHL

The Arizona Coyotes and the Florida Panthers are mocked for not having enough fans to fill the stadium; the Leafs have more than enough, and they all want to say their piece.

The general fan consensus? The Leafs need an overhaul.

Some fans

all the fans want to fire head coach Randy Carlyle. Some want to get rid of captain Dion Phaneuf. Some even proclaim that they don’t care who goes, so long as someone is gone by morning.

There have been threatening tweets, brawls in the stands, and jerseys and scarves thrown on the ice — and it’s getting to the players. Winger Phil Kessel won’t talk to the media. When Dion Phaneuf does, it’s not exactly friendly. The players have even gone as far as to refuse the fan salute following a win; without the knowledge of the coaching staff, the entire team skated off without acknowledging the crowds at Air Canada Centre after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 this week.

During his time  speaking on TSN Drive on Friday, Leafs president Brendan Shanahan spoke out about this — in defense of his players, his coaching staff, and pretty much everyone on his payroll.

Shanahan, who has been team president since April 11, 2014; since then, he’s dealt with the team’s reaction to a season-ending collapse, and all the drama that has followed in its wake. His prognosis? The team needs the support of the fans.

He suggested that every team wins big and loses big, implying that it’s all a regular part of the season. He insisted that all the players love being in Toronto, and hopes that the fans realize this and will start responding accordingly.

Of course, most teams don’t win 6-1 one night, then lose 6-2 and 9-2 in the following two games.

Shanahan isn’t wrong, though, when he stressed how important fan morale is to the team. Playing to a sold-out crowd that tosses jerseys on the ice is just as tough as playing for an empty stadium; the team may need some changes in personnel regardless, but fan support would go a long way towards making things, at the very least, more positive.

More from FanSided

Home/NHL