Leiweke: remark about Leafs with 'terrible' character was general response

TORONTO - Tim Leiweke says a comment he made about players within the Toronto Maple Leafs organization having "terrible" character was not aimed at a specific player.

Speaking to students at Ryerson University, the outgoing president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment said when addressing analytics in hockey that "there are players we have in our organization today whose numbers are off the chart good and whose character is just terrible."

In an email response to The Canadian Press, Leiweke attempted to clarify what he meant.

"It was a general response that was intended to say that analytics are only as good as also making sure a player has character," Leiweke wrote. "I find it amusing anyone can assume I was talking about a specific Leaf player."

In his address at Ryerson, Leiweke also addressed new Leafs president Brendan Shanahan's role in reshaping organizational philosophy and the summer hirings of Cam Charron and Darryl Metcalf that should add to the analytics department.

MLSE confirmed last month Leiweke would only remain on the job until June 2015 or until a successor is appointed.