Though he declines credit, he played a lead role in changing the course of the game. Now he faces a task that, by scale, seems reasonably within reach: reversing the direction of a franchise with hockey weather but not much else in its favour lately. He will forever talk about “team” and “staff,” but ultimately this will be a summit of one and lonelier than that moment on the ice in Nagano.

The self-education of Brendan Shanahan: to be continued.

-Gare Joyce of Sportsnet on Brendan Shanahan. Read much more from Joyce on Shanahan.