Brendan Shanahan joins Hockey Canada to review men’s junior hockey in Ontario

A former NHL executive has found a new role in a different capacity.

On Saturday, Hockey Canada announced that longtime NHLer and former Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan has been hired to lead a review of junior hockey in Ontario.

The role comes in partnership with Hockey Eastern Ontario, Hockey Northwestern Ontario and the Ontario Hockey Federation, and will help make recommendations to help “further evolve junior hockey in the province.”

The Hockey Hall of Famer will be reporting to a six-person committee, along with producing two public documents – an interim paper, set to be submitted in the coming weeks, that includes a framework for consulting with stakeholders, as well as a final report with Shanahan’s final recommendations later in the year.

The recommendations will include how to develop the skills and character of the athletes, considering their overall experiences while playing junior hockey in Ontario. The goal is for Shanahan to “ensure the model in Ontario is athlete-centred, development-focused,” providing the proper path for players and families, while giving insight to the changing landscape of junior hockey.

“Playing hockey for Team Canada was one of the greatest honours of my career, so to work on this project with Hockey Canada and its three Ontario Members to help give back to the game in my home province is an opportunity that I am very grateful for,” Shanahan said in a release. “Throughout this review, I’m looking forward to learning from those involved in junior hockey in Ontario and better understanding their visions for how we can build a stronger system for everyone participating in our great game.”

Shanahan’s work will include taking four principles into account – prioritizing the players’ needs, well-being, and development, maintaining proper collaboration between Hockey Canada and Ontario members, maintaining transparency and openness through the process, and embedding Hockey Canada’s core values in his recommendations.

Per the release, “the initiative will be informed by existing studies that have been conducted by members and additional consultation and research that Shanahan will conduct with stakeholders in Ontario in the coming months.”