The Shanaplan #SORFH

It's over. The Brendan Shanahan era with the Toronto Maple Leafs, that is. MLSE has opted not to renew Shanny's contract and they're parting ways after over a decade of The Shanaplan.

Before that, I wrote about Brendan Shanahan's retirement. He was my favourite non-Leaf. Today that title belongs to Sydney Crosby.

I once asked MLSE PR if I could chat with Brendan Shanahan on Toronto Mike'd. I told them I didn't want to talk about The Shanaplan or anything Toronto Maple Leafs-related, but I wanted to talk to him about Mimico and his memories of going to Michael Power High School, my alma mater. MLSE denied my request. Here's what they wrote:

Hello Mike,

With the volume of requests we have and continue to receive, I’m afraid this won’t be possible. The online properties we primarily work with are connected to an established media outlet. We’re not in a position to expand beyond this without comprising the access of outlets already on site.

Regards,
Steve K

I almost asked him to visit in-person when he spoke during the live recording of The Reporters at the Paradise Theatre. I was there as a guest of Dave Hodge so I could share the audio in the Toronto Mike'd podcast feed.

I waited afterwards, but Brendan was swarmed with old classmates who were there to catch up with Power's most famous alumnus. I eventually gave up and biked west. That night the lights on my bike were stolen. Lesson learned.

Shanahan brought respectability back to the Leafs. Post-Quinn, things were awful. With Shanahan, we become a consistent playoff team, we just didn't have the formula for a deep playoff run. It's time for a change.

And Brendan, if you're reading this, I'd still love to have you on Toronto Mike'd to talk Mimico.