Brendan Shanahan Sends Strong Message to the Toronto Maple Leafs After Being Fired

«Over the past 11 seasons, Brendan Shanahan has made countless contributions to the Toronto Maple Leafs on the ice, off the ice and in the community,» Pelley said in a statement. «Brendan is one of the most respected leaders in the game and he has instilled many of the traits that were the signature of his Hall of Fame career throughout the organization, uniting this storied franchise in the 'Honour, Pride and Courage' that it was founded on. Our responsibility and driving motivation, however, is to add a new chapter to the Maple Leafs' championship history, and it was determined that a new voice was required to take the team to the next level in the years ahead. The franchise will be forever grateful for Brendan's contributions and wish him and his family every success and happiness in the future.»

"Toronto is where I was born and raised, where my family still lives, and being a part of this historic franchise will always be one of the greatest honours of my life," Shanahan said. "I want to thank the entire Maple Leafs' staff for their commitment and hard work over the years - they are second to none in the National Hockey League. I want to thank the Alumni for all of their support and the tremendous work they do at our games and within the community. Many of them were my heroes growing up and it has been a pleasure to get to know them on a personal level. I want to thank the fans for their passion and loyalty. Your love for the team inspired me every day.

"While I am proud of the rebuild we embarked on starting in 2014, ultimately, I came here to help win the Stanley Cup, and we did not. There is nothing more I wanted to deliver to our fans, and my biggest regret is that we could not finish the job. I greatly enjoyed working with Brad and Craig, and I firmly believe they are excellent in their roles and have done a great job in their time with the team. Also, I want to thank the players, they are committed and passionate about delivering a championship to this city and will do everything within their power to accomplish that goal. I wish them all the very best."