The Toronto Maple Leafs sacked head coach Sheldon Keefe just days after losing their first-round series to the Boston Bruins in seven games.
“Today’s decision was difficult,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving stated. “Sheldon is an exceptional coach and a kind man; nonetheless, we felt that a new voice is required to help the team push forward to achieve our ultimate goal.
We applaud Sheldon for his nine years of hard work and dedication to the organization and wish him and his family the best.
Keefe took over as Maple Leafs head coach in November 2019, after Mike Babcock. He guided the squad to a 212-97-40 record over five seasons, including three consecutive 100-point seasons.
While Keefe led the club to regular-season success, they fell short in the postseason.
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round struggles have been well-documented, with the team only making it to the second round once since 2004. That one time, in 2022-23, Keefe was in power.
Toronto Maple Leafs playoff streak
However, three first-round exits (all in seven games) and a qualifying round loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs increased the pressure on management to make a change.
The Maple Leafs have the NHL’s longest ongoing playoff streak at eight seasons, but seven of those have ended in the first round. After trailing 3-1 against the Bruins and forcing a Game 7, they lost 2-1 in overtime in the last game.
When Keefe was hired as NHL head coach, he had never done so before. If Treliving is looking for experience in the role, he can look to Craig Berube, who won a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Gerard Gallant, who has coached 17 seasons in the NHL with four teams, and Todd McLellan, who most recently coached the Los Angeles Kings and has 19 seasons of league experience.
If the Maple Leafs choose to go with a new face, Denver University’s David Carle has led the Pioneers to two of the last three NCAA men’s championships and led the United States men’s national junior team to World Junior Championship gold in January.
Another early-round loss indicated that changes were on the way, most likely starting with the head coach.
Keefe’s two-year contract extension, which he signed last summer following the appointment of general manager Brad Treliving, has not yet taken effect.
Source: CBC
