In today’s NHL rumors rundown, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving, President Brendan Shanahan, and MLSC CEO Keith Pelley spoke with the media on Friday and talked about the future of the team. Who are the New Jersey Devils looking at to be their next head coach? Finally, is there a new 3-on-3 pro hockey league starting up?
The Maple Leafs Are Out of Patience
It was confirmed Brendan Shanahan will remain as Team President and both Treliving and Shanahan agreed that the patterns have persisted. As such, everything is on the table in Toronto this offseason. Shanahan said it wouldn’t serve the Maple Leafs to go into specifics about who the Leafs might be looking to change out. Their focus is on finding a head coach. Treliving said they won’t rush a decision, but they know there are vacancies available.
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“We’ve got really good players. It hasn’t worked,” said Treliving when asked about if having four players take up 50% of the salary cap is a formula for winning. “We’ve got to dig into why we’re ending up with the same result year after year after year and adjust accordingly.”
Shanahan was asked if he still believes the core of the Maple Leafs can win. He did not say yes or no, only that they have to look at everything and will make some really tough decisions. They have new information, see things through a different lens, and need to feel more comfortable walking into the playoffs — knowing they have to make the playoffs first — as a team that can get different results.
Related: Several Teams Already Showing Trade Interest in Marner [Report]
Keith Pelley: “The fans here not only deserve but demand a championship. There’s no complacency. We’re not here to sell jerseys.” Chris Johnston wrote, “Without saying it explicitly, the #leafs leadership/management couldn’t have made it more clear reading between the lines that they’re going to explore moving one or more members of their core this summer.”
In non-related presser news, John Tavares will be joining Team Canada at the Men’s World Hockey Championship.
Devils Want to Talk to Sheldon Keefe
Pierre LeBrun noted in a tweet on Thursday that there is a belief that the New Jersey Devils will have interest in talking to recently fired coach Sheldon Keefe about their vacant head coaching position. There was also thought that the Devils were far down the road with Craig Berube, but some believe there may be a shift to Berube signing with the Maple Leafs and the Devils looking at either Keefe or former Oilers’ coach Jay Woodcroft.
A New 3-on-3 Hockey League in the Works?
A new professional hockey league, Major League Hockey (MLH), is set to launch in North America this fall, according to reports from sdpn’s Steve Dangle. Reports suggest substantial financial backing for the venture, including investment from Saudi Arabia and involvement from Bauer. The news has sparked interest from retired players and those seeking opportunities outside the NHL, including former Stanley Cup champion Devante Smith-Pelly.
Based in Saskatchewan, MLH will adopt the NHL’s 3-on-3 overtime format, with games lasting just 24 minutes and featuring 16 teams spread across regions in Canada and the United States. Each team will have a salary cap of $30 million, offering players significant earning potential, with bonuses for wins distributed among coaches and players. Notably, teams can sign three “marquee players” with international experience.
Some of the cities rumored to be getting a team are British Columbia, Saskatchewa, Quebec, Arizona, Missouri, New England, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Some of the bigger states and provinces that have NHL teams will also be in the mix.