Maple Leafs Fire Head Coach After Yet Another Playoff Loss To Bruins

Sheldon Keefe won more than 100 games he lost, but just like almost every other Maple Leafs coach before him, he couldn’t secure the ultimate prize.

As a result, it cost the head coach his job.

The Maple Leafs fired Keefe on Thursday after his five seasons with Toronto. The move comes just a few days after Toronto lost its Stanley Cup playoffs first-round series to the Bruins.

“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,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving announced in a statement released by the team.

Keefe took over behind the Maple Leafs bench early in the 2019-20 season after Toronto sent Mike Babcock packing before him. Toronto wasted little time making him the permanent head coach, and Keefe made Maple Leafs history by going 15-4-1 in his first 20 games. The Leafs had incredible regular-season success under Keefe’s watch. He went 212-97-40 over his run, good for a .607 winning percentage that is best in franchise history for any Leafs coach with at least a full season under their belt.

The playoffs, though, were a different story. The Leafs made the playoffs in each of Keefe’s five seasons, but they failed to advance beyond the first round in four of those years.

The Keefe firing could be one of a handful of franchise-altering moves Toronto makes this offseason. Looking ahead to next season, the Leafs have four forwards — Auston Matthews, John Taveres, Mitch Marner and William Nylander — all making at least $10.9 million. That quartet accounted for nearly half of the Leafs’ salary cap space this season, and while all are extremely talented players, it’s worth wondering whether the Maple Leafs are best suited to trading at least one of those players to address areas of need elsewhere on the roster.