What If Brendan Shanahan Joined A Potential NHL Expansion Franchise?

Miami Herald

4 days ago

Brendan Shanahan is a free agent. But where will he go next?
The former president of the Toronto Maple Leafs brings a wealth of experience, a Hall of Fame ring as a player and a marquee name with him. Simply put, he could probably choose a number of NHL destinations right now.
But what about a franchise that doesn't exist yet?
NHL expansion seems like a sure thing in the future and one of the leading candidates is Houston. As first reported in The Hockey News' Money and Power issue back in January, the top ownership candidate is Dan Friedkin, a billionaire car distributor who also owns British soccer team Everton and a film company that produced Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States and a major TV market, so it's a great target for the NHL.
Now imagine if Shanahan was the expansion team's first president.
Houston gets instant credibility and someone whom the NHL trusts – let's not forget that 'Shanny' worked for the league's player safety department.
While the Maple Leafs did not meet their goal of winning a Stanley Cup during Shanahan's tenure, Toronto did have a ton of success on the ice and either drafted or acquired a mass of talent. Shanahan left the franchise with a solid GM in Brad Treliving and a well-respected coach in Craig Berube.
That Shanahan would be an asset for Houston is not a question; only the timing remains. The NHL has not green-lit any expansion process right now, so hypothetically, we'd be looking at 2026-27 at the earliest – and let's face it, the league is in no rush.
Having said that, Houston seems to be one of the favorites if and when the NHL expands again.
Other cities in the mix include Atlanta and Phoenix, and it will be interesting to see if the next wave involves two cities at once or staggered over the course of a year. (Full disclosure: The Hockey News publisher-owner W. Graeme Roustan is supporting the Atlanta group led by Vernon Krause and his South Forsyth project.)
Regardless, keep an eye on Shanahan in the coming years. He already took on a major challenge in Toronto, so what would be new and exciting for him? Helping build an expansion team from scratch might be the answer.
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