TORONTO — If there was any need for reinforcement, Brendan Shanahan made it abundantly clear that he’s taken over the controls at Toronto Maple Leafs headquarters and the future of the franchise will be a direct reflection of the 54-year-old’s vision, which can evidently change on a whim.
Shanahan made a unilateral decision to fire general manager Kyle Dubas after contract negotiations broke down in the span of four days. It was revealed twice on Friday afternoon that Shanahan lost confidence in Dubas after the 37-year-old revealed he may need to take some time to reflect on whether he’d return to the Maple Leafs, or take a year off from hockey, citing concerns during Monday’s end-of-year media availability about his family’s privacy and safety.