Amazon Prime series goes behind the scenes with ex-Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, NHL stars
The next team thinking of hiring Brendan Shanahan as an executive will have some candid behind-the-scenes visuals of him at work to use as a resource.
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Toronto's former team president will appear among an impressive list of National Hockey League players for Season 2 of Amazon Prime Video's Faceoff: Inside the NHL, set to premier in the autumn of 2025.
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The intimate look at the stars at work — and play — scored many points with subscribers last year with such features as the mic'd up rivalry between Edmonton's Connor McDavid and Florida's Matthew Tkachuk in the Stanley Cup final and the lasting friendship of Maple Leafs winger William Nylander and Boston's David Pastrnak that had to be shelved in the Toronto-Boston series. Nylander also will appear in Season 2.
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'This year, fans can expect more of the unexpected,' Mark Shopiro, head of Prime Video Canada, told Postmedia.
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'We were really excited by fan reaction the first year, some things they hadn't ever seen before, through the lens of the players, their families and friends. Our cameras were rolling behind the scenes again and we have a lot of great highlights.'
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Similar to Season 1, two or three dozen players volunteered or were asked by the league to be profiled by London, England-based Box to Box Productions.
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Some storylines grew organically from mid-season through the Cup final, while filming this year began with the 4 Nations tournament in February in hopes some players would get deep in the playoffs as teammates or foes.
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'We're featuring the oldest generational players — Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin's milestone goal chase (and retiring netminder Marc-Andre Fleury),' Shopiro said. 'They'll cross with the younger generation, such as (Los Angeles Kings forward) Quinton Byfield.'
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'After Season 1, more players were familiar with the concept and that helped (attract more participants).'
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More details of Shanahan's segment were to be revealed during a Thursday afternoon media promotional launch in Toronto. Moving from the ice to the hockey office side of the business and perhaps coaches and general manager's lives is a likely progression for the show.
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'Shanahan will give viewers different angles,' Shopiro predicted. 'That's what resonated from Season 1, as with Nylander.'
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McDavid's meltdown after a Cup final loss in Sunrise, Fla., stood out last year.
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'Dig the f*** in, right f***ing now,' the captain berated his Oilers as a staffer eventually closed the dressing door to keep out the Prime crew's cameras.
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'Part of the game,' Shopiro said of including the F-bombs and raw exchanges that naturally ramp up in playoffs.
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Also to be featured in Season 2 are the travels of Mikko Rantanen — who was traded twice during the season — both Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, Zach Werenski and Sean Monahan of the Columbus Blue Jackets as they deal with the tragic pre-season death of teammate Johnny Gaudreau.
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