The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a choice about the future of head coach Sheldon Keefe.
On May 9, the Maple Leafs announced they had let go of Keefe after five seasons with the team.
“Today’s decision was tough. Sheldon is an outstanding coach and a great person; however, we concluded a new voice is necessary to help the team achieve our ultimate goal. We appreciate Sheldon for his hard work and commitment to the organization over the past nine years, and wish him and his family all the best,” General Manager Brad Treliving wrote in a statement.
After the Maple Leafs were knocked out of the playoffs by the Boston Bruins, the future Keefe's future was uncertain. Even though he had two years remaining on his contract, Toronto chose to part ways with the head coach.
Keefe led the Maple Leafs to a 212-97-40 record in 349 regular season games but the team only won one playoff series in five years with him as the coach.
Keefe Takes Responsibility For Maple Leafs Playoff Exit
Following Toronto’s playoff loss to the Bruins, Keefe addressed the media and accepted the fault for the defeat.
“We’re in the results business here and we didn’t get results,” Keefe said, via NHL.com. “We haven’t met expectations. And as a head coach, I take responsibility for that… “You have a team that has expectations and has goals in mind, and when you don’t reach them it’s not a good feeling. My job as coach is to find solutions and chart a path ahead for the group to come through. They need to succeed at the most important time of the year, and we haven’t done that.”
When asked about his future with the team, Keefe said it was out of his control, but he expressed his desire to continue as the coach of the Maple Leafs.
“It’s out of my control. That decision is out of my control,” Keefe said… “But I believe in myself greatly. And I love coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs.”
Craig Berube Linked As Potential Replacement
With Toronto firing Kefee, the Maple Leafs will now begin a search to replace him.
One name that has been linked to the potential Maple Leafs job opening is former St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube.
TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger said Berube is a ‘top candidate’ for the Maple Leafs.
Berube played for the Maple Leafs during his NHL career and has talked about his wish to coach for the franchise.
“It would be an honor to coach there for the Toronto Maple Leafs, if that ever happened. It’s (one of) if not the best hockey market in the world. A great organization that does everything they can to try to win,” Berube told TLN.
Berube won the Stanley Cup with the Blues in 2019 in his first year with the franchise. However, after winning the Cup, St. Louis lost in the first round the next two years and then lost in the second round the following year. The Blues then missed the playoffs in the 2022-23 NHL season and after a 13-14-1 start to the 2023-24 NHL season, Berube was fired.
As a head coach in the NHL, Berube has a record of 281-190-72.
