Dave Nonis Fired by Maple Leafs: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction

The Toronto Maple Leafs fired general manager Dave Nonis on Sunday, one day after the team completed its worst regular season in more than 15 years.

Team president Brendan Shanahan also announced the removal of interim head coach Peter Horachek, who took over for Randy Carlyle midway through the 2014-15 campaign, and assistant coaches Steve Spott, Chris Dennis and Rick St. Croix (goaltending).   

Assistant general manager Kyle Dubas and director of player personnel Mark Hunter will take the reins for the time being while the Leafs conduct their search for a new GM.

Shanahan spoke to reporters on Monday regarding the team's next steps for getting back on track:

He added, "You have to have a stomach in order to get through it in a place with this much passion. I have that stomach," via Nick Cotsonika of Yahoo Sports.

Stephen Whyno of The Canadian Press and Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun provided more reaction from Shanahan:

James Mirtle of The Globe and Mail weighed in on Nonis' tenure:

Nonis took over front-office duties in 2013, helping guide the team to a playoff berth in the lockout-shortened campaign, but things soon fell apart from there.

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Toronto went 30-44-8 during the regular season, losing its highest number of games in regulation since 1996-97. The Maple Leafs have missed the playoffs in each of the last two years, noticeably slipping in the standings despite the presence of high-profile talents like Phil Kessel.

The Leafs were 94-97-21 during Nonis' tenure.   

While the team will undoubtedly conduct an exhaustive search, whoever assumes GM responsibilities next should be prepared for a full-scale rebuild.

As Sportsnet's Luke Fox noted, rumors were rampant near the trade deadline that the team was actively shopping Kessel and defenseman Dion Phaneuf, though the Leafs never pulled the trigger on a deal.

Moving those long-term contracts—Spotrac indicates Kessel is under contract through 2021-22, while Phaneuf is through 2020-21—will likely be the top priority this offseason. Even if the Leafs decide to hold on to their foundational pieces, it's going to be a long road getting this roster back to the playoffs.

Follow Tyler Conway on Twiter @tylerconway22