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Ex-Leaf confirms Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe on thin ice in Toronto
Photo credit: NHL - Maple Leafs
There's been a lot of discussion over the course of the season relating to Sheldon Keefe and what will happen this summer. Yes, the Leafs offered Sheldon Keefe a contract extension prior to the start of this season, locking him up through 2025-26, but we have already seen multiple coaches with term remaining on their deals relieved of their duties this season, so just because he has some term remaining on his deal, it doesn't necessarily make him safe, as one former Maple Leaf pointed out this week.
During a recent edition of Leafs Morning Take, TLN's Nick Alberga and ex-Leaf Jay Rosehill discussed the issue of what happens if the Leafs fail to make the Conference Finals in the playoffs this season. Rosehill's take on the issue appears to be that Keefe has had more than enough time to find some success in the playoffs and that this could be his final stand.
"Yeah, I mean, I do think so. You've got to change something up. It looks like they're locking these guys up, "running it back" with these players, so you can't go in with Keefe again and do the exact same thing again for the 3rd year, 4th year, however far you want to go back. So, yeah, I do think Keefe will be gone if they don't have playoff success this year." - Rosehill on Keefe
Alberga was quick to point out why his contract status doesn't really mean anything, but did reveal that he does see a path where Keefe returns, even with another early exit, though that would entail taking their round 2 opponent the full 7 games and losing a very close series while still putting up an incredible fight.
Keefe has shown himself to be a tremendous regular season coach in recent years, but his lack of playoff success is definitely a bit of a red flag. If he fails to execute in the postseason again this year, we might see a new face behind the bench in Toronto next season.
| POLL | ||
MARS 29 | 458 ANSWERS Ex-Leaf confirms Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe on thin ice in Toronto If the Leafs don't make the Eastern Conference Finals, will Sheldon Keefe be fired? | ||
| Yes | 372 | 81.2 % |
| No, they'll let him coach at least one more year | 86 | 18.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
