assists, Francois Brassard made 33 saves, a

TORONTO - He didnt talk about the Vatican of hockey. He didnt mention the centre of the hockey universe. He shied away from dream job talk. He didnt wax on about pugnacity, testosterone, truculence, or belligerence. He didnt lay out his vision for how his Toronto Maple Leafs would play or what ailed them this past season and in seasons before. "Im not here today for big speeches, big words, big proclamations," Brendan Shanahan said Monday morning from the Air Canada Centre. "Today is my first day at work and theres a lot of work to be done." It was more than five and a half years ago that the Maple Leafs hired Brian Burke to change the "culture" of an organization which had veered further and further off the rails toward an eventual Stanley Cup. But unlike the bombastic Burke on that excitable day in Nov. 2008, the new President and alternate governor in Toronto made few bold statements or declarations. "This is the time for me to start learning about the organization from top to bottom," he said. "Its a time for me to listen, to learn and get to work and thats all thats really worked for me in my career. Its whats worked for me when I was done playing hockey and thats what I intend to do here." Tim Leiweke, the President and CEO of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, says he hired the 45-year-old to become the leader of the hockey team in Toronto - a presence he was unfit to fill - to instill an identity, to become the culture, heart, soul and character of the organization. He spoke glowingly of Shanahans track record - both as a player and in the league office - his leadership skills as a player for 21 seasons, his first-hand familiarity with winning cultures in Detroit and New Jersey, his passion, his work ethic, his analytical skills and his knowledge of the game. And with that full faith came final authority on all hockey and business matters. "I couldnt find anyone to say anything bad about him," Leiweke said of fact-finding conversations which came to include Ken Holland, Lou Lamiorello and Luc Robitaille. "…what everyone talks about is the man fights," Leiweke said, selling his new management piece with vigour. "He fought as a player. He fought for the union (during the second NHL lockout). He fought for the game. And now he fights for the integrity of the league. Now he comes here to fight for the Leafs. And the one thing I know about Shanny is hes going to fight for us every day. He may be analytical, he may be patient, he may not knee-jerk, but in that heart beats a man that is extremely committed to winning and doing whatever is necessary." Whatever credentials Shanahan may boast as a former player (three Stanley Cups) and league disciplinarian, he lacks the same in actual front office experience - an obvious source of skepticism for the hiring. A growing trend in the NHL has seen teams sweep up former star players for management roles to only middling success. Maybe the most recent example of disappointment saw local legend Pat Lafontaine plucked for a senior position in Buffalo only to depart less than four months later. Brett Hull, also of limited experience, was brought back to Dallas and eventually named co-general manager. He lasted less than two seasons and now works in St. Louis. Those that found success in the transition typically gained experience before eventually ascending to the type of role Shanahan has inherited in Toronto. Steve Yzerman toiled in the Red Wings front office, also managing Team Canada at the Worlds and Olympics before becoming the Lightning GM. Cam Neely was a vice-president for a few years before he was promoted to team president. Joe Sakic, now the overseer of all hockey matters in Colorado, joined the club initially as an advisor and alternate governor. Because of that inexperience its difficult to project which direction Shanahan will take the Leafs. Will he try to follow Hollands philosophy in Detroit - skill over brawn - or lean in the direction of what Lamiorello built in New Jersey - a stifling defensive system - or try something different entirely? Above all, he said hed be open to new ideas, even spending his flight to Toronto reading all about the merits of Corsi and Fenwick (analytical tools for measuring the game). Learning the business side of the game under the tutelage of Gary Bettman in his past business role with the NHL, Shanahan also was keen as a player, claiming to have picked the brains of superiors like Holland, Lamoriello, Glen Sather and Jim Rutherford. "I was always curious from their perspective, the difficulties and the challenges of operating and running a team," he said. "He was like a sponge and he took it all in," Leiweke claimed. Shanahans more recent gig as the leagues head of discipline offered opportunity, additionally, at the centre of controversy - something hell become familiar with in a hurry with the Leafs. "I had a job in which everyone questioned my decisions, everybody thought they knew better than us, they second-guessed everything we did and didnt like us," Shanahan said. "So now I get to come do this." Leiweke was blunt that the Leafs pre-Shanahan were lacking in direction, lacking in identity and lacking the culture of a winner - damning with Dave Nonis seated just a short distance to his left. He wanted someone to change that, much in the way, he said, that Masai Ujiri has quickly altered the course of the Raptors - though he failed to mention good fortune in that case, notably with the unexpected post Rudy Gay-trade ascension and emphatic growth of Kyle Lowry. Burke, too, talked about culture when he first landed from Anaheim, harshly critical of a "blue and white disease" that he felt had infected the club. He tried to change that and ran out of time. He also could not deliver the nasty, black and blue squad he imagined on the day of his arrival all too long ago. Shanahan wouldnt stray down a similar path as far as bold proclamations and statements were concerned on this day. If anything, it seems he aimed to undersell and over-deliver. He wouldnt get into what his vision for the club would be, wouldnt say what went wrong this year - he didnt feel it was his place - detailing instead his immediate plans, which included a full review of the coaching staff, roster, management team, and farm system, all to be done with his standing general manager, Nonis. "It would be premature for me to tell you right now where were going to go," Shanahan said. "Were going to work together to try to find the right answers together," Nonis added. "If we have questions or concerns were going to work them out, but at the end of the day Brendans the boss. He runs this team." How the dynamic between Shanahan and Nonis plays out remains of some intrigue and uncertainty. Its uncertain how much of a say Shanahan will have in the day-to-day operations of the team and more broadly speaking, how strong an influence hell exert over the bigger picture and to what effect. What direction he wants to take the Leafs wasnt immediately clear nor was how that approach will jive with that of Nonis, who helped build the current group, formerly as the No. 2 under Burke and eventual No. 1 until Mondays present. In terms of shifting the identity and culture of the Leafs, Shanahan will have to start with Randy Carlyle, quickly determining whether he is, in fact, the right head coach to guide the push forward. Though Carlyle found some success with the group in the lockout-shortened 2013, his message never seemed to hit home this season, culminating in all too familiar collapse. Both Shanahan and Nonis said all the right things as to Carlyles prowess as a coach, but neither would rightly commit to his future. Beyond the urgent matter of coaching - and who might be a suitable replacement - is a roster full of questions - be it with the core group and bundle of free agents - and a draft and development system that needs refreshment and considerable improvement. A lot, quite simply, lies on the plate of the new boss with little time to learn on the job. "Winning is just a very simple solution," he said. "Were not going to win a game sitting up here today. We have to get results." Ramik Wilson Rams Jersey . - Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin has cleared league-mandated concussion protocol and has returned to practice as a full participant. John Kelly Rams Jersey .J. - Several people have collapsed in an overcrowded New Jersey train station while waiting in long lines to get to the Super Bowl. http://www.authenticramsfansclub.com/Black-Friday-Brian-Allen-Jersey/ .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. John Franklin-Myers Rams Jersey . -- Washington Capitals forward Brooks Laich is expected to miss the rest of the regular season after having an operation on a groin muscle. Ndamukong Suh Rams Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Watch the 2014 NBA Draft on TSN, Thursday at 7pm et/4pm pt.QUEBEC -- Nick Sorensen scored a hat trick and added two assists, Francois Brassard made 33 saves, and the Remparts scored six power-play goals to hammer Halifax 8-2 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action on Thursday. Anthony Duclair had two goals and five assists, Mikhail Grigorenko and Adam Chapman each had a goal and an assist, and Cody Donaghey scored the other Quebec (30-12-8) goal. Nikolaj Ehlers and Andrew Shewfelt replied for the visiting Mooseheads (33-17-1), who racked up 63 penalty minutes on 36 infractions. Zachary Fucale started in net for Halifax and gave up six goals on 24 shots. Kevin Darveau stopped 11 of 13 shots in relief. --- VOLTIGEURS 4 TITAN 1 DRUMMONDVILLE, Que. -- Olivier Caouette had a goal and two assists to lead the Voltigeurs over Acadie-Bathurst. Matthew Boudens and Georgs Golovkovs each had a goal and an assist, and William Carrier added the other Drummondville (31-16-3) goal. Matthew Boudreau scored the lone goal for the Titan (17-30-5). Joe Flescher made 17 saves for the victory, while Jacob Brennan stopped 41 shots in defeat. --- FOREURS 8 HUSKIES 5 ROUYN-NORANDA, Que. -- Pierre-Maxime Poudrier scored three goals and had an assist to lift visiting Val-dOr over the Huskies. Anthony Mantha, Anthony Richard, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel each had a goal and two assists apiece for the Foreurs (31-17-2), and Guillaume Gelinas and Louick Marcotte scored once and helped on another. Jean-Sebastien Dea scored twice, Ryan Penny, Julien Nantel, and Francis Perron added the other RRouyn-Noranda (26-18-5) goals, and Guillaume Decelles stopped 16 of 23 shots for the loss.dddddddddddd Decelles replaced Alexander Belanger, who stopped all five shots he faced in the first period. Antoine Bibeaue started in net for Val-dOr but was pulled after giving up three goals on seven shots. Keven Bouchard made 30 saves in relief. --- WILDCATS 4 ISLANDERS 3 CHARLOTTETOWN -- Christophe Lalonde scored the winning goal on the power play at 17:12 of the third period, and Alex Dubeau turned back 37 shots, as the Moncton Wildcats edged the Islanders. Vladimir Tkachev, Ivan Barbashev and Christopher Caissy also scored for the Wildcats (26-24-2). Caissys goal at 19:56 of the second period gave Moncton a 3-1 lead. Alexandre Goulet scored his 20th and 21st goals of the season for Charlottetown (17-29-5), which lost its eighth in a row. Robert Pelletier also scored for the Islanders. Mason McDonald made 19 saves for the loss. --- DRAKKAR 6 PHOENIX 1 BAIE-COMEAU, Que. -- Charles Hudon scored twice, as the Baie-Comeau Drakkar made it nine wins in a row with their lopsided victory over Sherbrooke. Charles Poulin, Alec Jon Banville, Maxime St-Cyr and Alexandre Chenevert also scored for the Drakkar (34-12-4). Jeremy Roy spoiled Simon Lemieuxs shutout bid when he scored for the Phoenix (15-29-6) at 11:01 of the third period. Lemieux finished with 18 saves while Sherbrookes Francis Lavallee stopped 17 of 19 shots in the first period, and Gabriel Parent handled 22 of 26 shots the rest of the way. 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