The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe.
General manager Brad Treliving made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Keefe had a 212-97-40 record over parts of five campaigns in Toronto, but was just 16-21 in the post-season, including a 1-5 series record.
Despite finally getting the organization over a painful playoff hump last spring when the Leafs advanced for the first time in nearly two decades, Keefe was unable to keep that momentum going.
Toronto bowed out in a tepid five games to the Florida Panthers in the second round in 2023 before Kyle Dubas was fired as GM less than two weeks later.
That dismissal led to questions about KeefeB次元官网网址檚 future, but Treliving elected to keep the Dubas loyalist after taking the reins, and then inked the Brampton, Ont., product to a contract extension through 2025-26.
Treliving called the decision to move on B次元官网网址渄ifficult.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪heldon is an excellent coach and a great man,B次元官网网址� he said in a statement. B次元官网网址淗owever, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal.
B次元官网网址淲e thank Sheldon for his hard work and dedication to the organization over the last nine years, and wish him and his family all the very best.B次元官网网址�
The organization added it B次元官网网址渨ill immediately begin the search for a new head coach, and decisions regarding the remainder of the coaching staff will follow.B次元官网网址�
Keefe guided the Leafs to third in the Atlantic this season as sniper Auston Matthews chased the leagueB次元官网网址檚 first 70-goal campaign since 1992-93 before coming up just one short to finish with a tally of 69 in securing his third Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy.
But TorontoB次元官网网址檚 series against Boston followed a familiar LeafsB次元官网网址� playoff script with sub-par special teams B次元官网网址� the power play went an appalling 1-for-21 B次元官网网址� and goaltending the teamB次元官网网址檚 ultimate undoing.
The Leafs battled back down 3-1 in the series with a pair of hard-fought 2-1 victories, including one in overtime, before falling to the Bruins by the same scoreline in OT of Game 7.
A migraine headache that impacted winger William NylanderB次元官网网址檚 vision that kept him out of the lineup for the first three contests certainly didnB次元官网网址檛 help the cause, while Matthews battled illness and injury after a monster Game 2. He sat for Games 5 and 6 before returning for the do-or-die finale at far less than 100 per cent.
Keefe spoke to reporters as the players parted ways Monday (May 6), taking responsibility for failing to meet expectations, but also bullish on the future.
B次元官网网址淣ow more than ever, I believe in myself and our team,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭hat I will win and our team will win.B次元官网网址�
Keefe did indeed win in Toronto B次元官网网址� just not enough in the playoffs.
He guided the team to franchise-highs for points (115) and victories (54) in 2021-22, while Matthews secured his first Hart Trophy as NHL MVP after putting up 60 before the Leafs lost a tough, seven-game series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Toronto took a slight step back in 2022-23, but still finished second in the Atlantic with the same nucleus of high-paid forwards led by Matthews, Nylander, Mitch Marner and John Tavares.
Keefe then led the Leafs to the franchiseB次元官网网址檚 first series victory since 2004 when Tavares scored in overtime of Game 6 against Tampa, but they were no match for the Panthers B次元官网网址� a gritty group that previously upset of the PresidentsB次元官网网址� Trophy-winning Bruins before reaching the Cup final.
The 43-year-old Keefe, who replaced Mike Babcock in November 2019, watched his team score two goals or fewer in 13 of his final 14 playoff games in charge B次元官网网址� not nearly good enough from the so-called B次元官网网址淐ore FourB次元官网网址� of Matthews, Marner, Nylander and Tavares, who account for roughly half of the clubB次元官网网址檚 salary cap.
Previously on the hot seat early in 2022-2023 after a sputtering LeafsB次元官网网址� start, KeefeB次元官网网址檚 other post-season setbacks came in the pandemic-necessitated five-game qualifying round against the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2020 and a disastrous blown 3-1 series lead in 2021 against the Montreal Canadiens.
Keefe, who led the American Hockey LeagueB次元官网网址檚 Toronto Marlies to a Calder Cup title in 2018 with Dubas after the pair also worked side-by-side in junior, appeared to be in trouble in May 2022 when Toronto lost to Tampa in that first-round series after leading 3-2 with two shots to advance.
Treliving also held firm last spring, but was eventually forced to pull the trigger for an organization with a Cup drought that now stands at 57 years.
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