Strongest Candidates To Serve As The Next Head Of The NHL's Department Of Player Safety

George Parros has been the head of the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for eight years. He’s been in charge of player safety since September 2017, but joined the department in 2016. He’ll be coming up on a decade as senior vice-president of the Department of Player Safety when the 2027-28 campaign rolls around.

Since the department was created in 2011, there have been three leaders, with Parros having the longest tenure. Brendan Shanahan was the first leader from 2011 to 2014, and Stéphane Quintal served following Shanahan’s departure until 2017. Under the guidance of Shanahan, Quintal and Parros, the Department of Player Safety has faced it’s fair share of scrutiny, deservedly or not, and once again, Parros was under fire after Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas received a five-game suspension for kneeing Toronto Maple Leafs superstar center Auston Matthews, causing the latter to miss the rest of the season with an injury .

While many felt the punishment wasn’t severe enough for a player like Gudas, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reportedly defended Parros and the department’s decision , suggesting there’s full confidence in what Parros’ team is doing. With how long Parros has been in the office, if he ever decides to step down, or if the NHL ever changes course and decides to go a different route, who should be next in line to take the job? Brendan Shanahan (Again) Shanahan wasted no time setting the standard around the NHL in his first season leading the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.

In the 2011-12 pre-season, Shanahan issued nine suspensions. Five of those pre-season suspensions lasted for five games or longer. Shanahan wasn’t afraid to make an example out of anyone and set the record straight for contact to the head and other dangerous plays.