The Shanaplan in Shambles
Description
Guest: Legendary sports broadcaster Dave Hodge, formerly of TSN and Hockey Night in Canada
Hosts: Bruce Arthur and Dave Feschuk
When Brendan Shanahan took over the helm of the Maple Leafs in 2014, he vowed not to repeat the sins of various predecessors accused of rushing the team-building process. Shanahan insisted he would exercise patience. But after eight post-season runs in which the Maple Leafs have only once advanced beyond the opening round, Shanahan’s refusal to give up on the team’s core stars is accompanied by the reek of stubborn incompetence. Here Arthur, Feschuk and Hodge try to make sense of Shanahan’s approach while pointing out the glaring blind spots that have left the Maple Leafs a long way away from interrupting the longest Stanley Cup drought in the history of the NHL, 57 years and counting.
PLUS: Arthur, Feschuk and Hodge discuss the highs and lows of the Shanaplan era.