Leafs, Sheldon Keefe come to terms on multi-year extension
At one point this summer, it appeared highly likely that Sheldon Keefe would be replaced behind the bench in Toronto. However, following the dismissal of ex-Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, new GM Brad Treliving came in with a "fresh slate" approach and really seemed to hit it off with Keefe and his coaching staff.
Keefe entered the summer pretty low on the priority list in terms of getting an extension sorted out, with Auston Matthews being the Leafs' primary focus, followed closely by William Nylander. Now, with Matthews signed and Nylander and Treliving looking like they're fine with entering the season without an extension in place, Keefe finally had his situation addressed, coming to terms on a two-year extension with the Leafs.
Treliving issued the following statement on Keefe's extension:
"Since I've joined the Maple Leafs, I've been very impressed with Sheldon. He has shown great leadership skills with his staff and our players, and has a clear vision for this team and where it needs to get to. Sheldon has established himself as one of the top coaches in the league and I look forward to working alongside him as we head into the upcoming season."
In turn, Sheldon Keefe had the following to say about re-upping with the Leafs:
"Coaching this team has been a great privilege, and I'm truly excited at the opportunity to continue building towards our ultimate goal. I'm thankful for the support from MLSE and its ownership along with Brendan Shanahan and Brad Treliving, who I've really enjoyed getting to know and work with this off-season. We have so many great players and people within our organization that I'm grateful to work with, and together our commitment to team success remains steadfast."
Keefe's .622 winning percentage as head coach of the Leafs ranks 4th in the entire NHL since he was hired back in 2019. During that time, the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes are the only 3 teams who have a better winning percentage of the Leafs' bench boss.
Congrats to Sheldon and his family and we hope that he can not only continue to get the most out of his team in the regular season, but that the success will also translate to the postseason this year.
| POLL |
AOUT 30 | 135 ANSWERS Leafs, Sheldon Keefe come to terms on multi-year extension Will the Leafs win more than 50 games this season? |
| Yes | 107 | 79.3 % |
| No | 28 | 20.7 % |
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