The decade began with Brian Burke at the helm and optimism surrounding the recent acquisition of Phil Kessel. Unfortunately, the price the Toronto Maple Leafs to acquire their then-franchise player was too high – the cost ended up being two eventual Hall of Fame players in Dougie Hamilton and Tyler Seguin.
Burke would give way to Dave Nonis, who would eventually be fired when the Leafs gave the presidency of their team to Brendan Shanahan. Shanahan ushered in a full-scale rebuild that has already paid dividends and which will see the Leafs enter the new decade with one of the best rosters in the history of the team.