Brendan Shanahan joins NHL front office less than month after ending 21-year career

NHL hires recently retired Shanahan as executive

NEW YORK — Brendan Shanahan has joined the NHL front office less than a month after ending a 21-year career as one of the league’s most prolific scorers.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion will have the title of vice president of hockey and business development.

“The league, at all levels, will benefit tremendously from Brendan’s passion for the game and from the wisdom of his experience gained in 21 years of playing the game,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said on Thursday. “Throughout his career, Brendan was the consummate team player, putting the success of his team and the good of the game above individual accomplishments. I am certain he will be able to bring that same approach to his new role.”

Shanahan retired Nov. 17 as the NHL’s 11th-leading goal scorer with 656. The eight-time All-Star played on the Red Wings’ Stanley Cup championship teams in 1997, 1998 and 2002. He also won a gold medal with Canada at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

Taken by the Devils with the second pick of the 1987 draft, Shanahan went on to play for the Blues, Whalers, Red Wings and Rangers before returning to New Jersey for his final season.

The NHL said Shanahan will work with Colin Campbell, the league’s director of hockey operations, to provide a player’s perspective on trends that have emerged and those that might develop. He also will work with COO John Collins on the NHL’s marketing efforts.

“I am thrilled to remain involved in the game I love and am looking forward to learning the other side of it,” Shanahan said. “… The quality of the players and the competition has never been better. It took a collective effort to get to this point and I look forward to being part of a group that continues to grow the game on and off the ice in the coming years.”