The grind of NHL rumors doesn’t stop just because the season is winding down. If anything, the grind has picked up as teams missing the playoffs begin to figure out what to do as they look to turn things around.
That’s the situation facing the New Jersey Devils. The club recently moved on from its former President of Hockey Operations (POHO) and GM, Tom Fitzgerald. The move was pretty evident, given the team’s failure this season.
As such, the Devils are now headlining NHL rumors amid their search for a new GM and POHO. Previously, the organization fused the two roles into one person, Fitzgerald. But moving forward, the organization will be looking to split up those roles.
And it seems that the Devils will be looking to bring in an experienced executive and former Devil for the POHO role.
That executive is Toronto Maple Leafs’ former POHO, Brendan Shanahan.
Insider Chris Johnston drilled home this point in a recent appearance on TSN’s First Up:
“I think there’s an alignment with what New Jersey needs and wants and what Brendan Shanahan’s looking for in his next opportunity.”
Shanahan was the architect of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rebuild. He led the Leafs’ turnaround, culminating in a decade-long playoff run.
However, NHL rumors came true last season when the Leafs washed out in the second round of the playoffs against the Florida Panthers. Shanahan was in the final year of his contract and did not return for this season.
His name has floated around in several roles, but he has yet to make up his mind this season.
Shanahan Has History with Devils
Brendan Shanahan has a long history with the Devils. He was the club’s first-round pick, second overall, in the 1987 NHL Draft. He played four seasons in New Jersey before moving on to the St. Louis Blues as a free agent in 1991.
Shanahan eventually returned for his final season in 2008-09, playing 34 games with the Devils, scoring six goals and 14 points to close out a Hall of Fame career.
Upon his retirement, NHL rumors circulated about his ambitions for an executive role. He worked his way up the NHL organization, becoming the NHL’s senior vice president in 2011.
He would remain in that role until he took the POHO gig with the Maple Leafs in 2014. That rune last for over a decade, with the Leafs, unfortunately, being unable to win a Stanley Cup under his tenure.
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NHL Rumors Should Pick Up Around Shanahan and Devils
Given Shanahan’s extensive resume as a player and executive, NHL rumors surrounding the Stanley Cup champion and the Devils should only pick up.
Shanahan brings experience, potentially helping the Devils find a suitable candidate for the GM role.
It’s unclear whether Shanahan would return to where his playing career started. But there’s plenty of history there for the Devils not to be an enticing alternative for the 57-year-old.
Fans should keep an eye on NHL rumors, as things could get interesting in the coming weeks.
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