New NHL Disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan unveils new plan for next season –NHL News Update
One part of the many changes which have been made by the National Hockey League (NHL) this season includes the changing of the leagues chief disciplinarian, Colin Campbell, and the appointment of Brendan Shanahan has the new one.
Although that took place on the 1st of June before the 2011 NHL Entry Draft began, it has been a topic of speculation and interest for fans and analysts all around the hockey world as to what different the game would feel with a younger and newer
face at the position.
One thing Shanahan must be credited for is his openness about everything he does in regards to his duties in the league. After being officially appointed, he announced how important it is to keep a moderate level of communication and transparency in between
all levels.
According to the 42-year-old former professional right winger, suspending a player might be the easiest task in the world, but it is what leads to the suspension that everyone should be well aware about in order to eliminate any rumour building.
“I think communicating with the players, I think communicating with my peers at the NHL, and I think communicating with the NHLPA and some of my friends there. I think it’s just a matter of really building a consensus, moving towards next season, using the
next few months to sort of prepare myself for when the season starts”, Shanahan said during his introductory press conference.
After having spent nearly 21 seasons in the major league, Shanahan knows quite well how the game works and what the players are thinking while performing a specific act along with their reaction to the decisions made by the NHL.
Being selected in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by New Jersey Devils as the second-overall, Shanahan has played with teams like New Jersey, St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, and finally finished off with Devils again.
According to NHL commissioner, Gary Bettman, it is a very stressful position.
“It could be the most thankless and worst job in hockey”, said Bettman, “particularly after enduring it for more than a decade”.
Hearing about the job from the commissioner himself, Brendan Shanahan is still committed to serving the league and players well without any intention to do otherwise.
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