Getty Toronto fires head coach Sheldon Keefe.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a decision on the future of head coach Sheldon Keefe.
On May 9, the Maple Leafs announced the team had fired Keefe after five seasons with the team.
Sheldon Keefe has been relieved of his role as head coach. The organization will immediately begin the search for a new head coach.
“Today’s decision was difficult. Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man; however, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal. We 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,” General Manager Brad Treliving wrote in a statement.
Following the Maple Leafs’ first-round playoff exit to the Boston Bruins, the future of Keefe was up in the air. Although he had two years left on his contract, Toronto decided to part ways with the head coach.
Keefe coached the Maple Leafs to a 212-97-40 record in 349 regular season games but the team won just one playoff series in five years with him as the coach.
Keefe Took Blame For Maple Leafs Playoff Exit
Following Toronto’s playoff exit to the Bruins, Keefe spoke to the media and took the blame for the loss.
“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 made it clear he wanted to remain 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 spoken about his desire 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.