MLSE president Leiweke calls some Maple Leafs players' character 'just terrible'

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment president and CEO Tim Leiweke did not mince words when asked about the Toronto hockey club he will oversee for one more season, calling out several Maple Leafs players for lack of character.

“There are players we have in our organization today whose numbers are off-the-chart good, and whose character is just terrible,” Leiweke said to business students at Toronto's Ryerson University. "I don't care how good your numbers are if you have bad character you are doomed for failure."

Last month, Leiweke informed MLSE of his intention to step down in June 2015. The company owns and operates the NHL's Maple Leafs, the NBA's Raptors, the MLS' Toronto FC and the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies.

The outgoing executive also addressed the Maple Leafs' creation of an analytics department and said the hiring of several key figures in the statistical community can only help the organization.

We are very convinced analytics make us smarter. We are very convinced that analytics will reduce our mistakes. We are convinced that analytics at the end of the day will be key to getting this team back on track. But that said they will never ever replace our ability to determine one’s character and passion for the game of hockey. You have to be good at both, not just one.

Leiweke hired former NHL player and league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan as team president and alternate governor in April. Leiweke joined MLSE in June 2013 after serving as president and CEO of the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns the Los Angeles Kings, Lakers and Galaxy.

[H/T TSN.ca]