If the reports are true, the Maple Leafs could be on the verge of hiring Brendan Shanahan to an unspecified high-ranking executive role. Is hiring the current director of NHL Player Safety a good idea?

Here are five reasons why it’s a good idea and five reasons why it’s a bad idea.

GOOD
1. Shanahan is local (from Mimico), and he’s a Hall of Famer who won three Stanley Cups as a player with the Detroit Red Wings. His name screams “winner.” This city needs a hometown hero in their front office and a feel-good story. His link to a winning organization like the Red Wings, who have made the Stanley Cup playoffs for 23 straight seasons, makes MLSE CEO Tim Leiweke drool. He would also have cachet with the players because of his reputation as a character guy in the NHL.

BAD
1. Brendan Shanahan has no hockey ties to the Maple Leafs. He was a member of the Red Wings, who are an arch-enemy of the Maple Leafs. This would be akin to the Red Wings hiring Wendel Clark as president. This would not go down well with many fans.

more