Leafs star players go public with their feelings on Sheldon Keefe and the harsh criticism he's facing
Unless you've been living under a rock, you're likely well aware of the heat that Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe has been taking following the Leafs' 4-4-2 start this season, but especially surrounding the team's 1-2-2 run over their 5-game road trip, coming away with just 4 of a possible 10 points.
Some are suggesting that Keefe is safe for now, after just 10 games, regardless of the unfavourable results. Other suggest that Keefe's seat is getting hotter by the day - especially after benching Mitch Marner, allowing him to have a bit of a temper tantrum and then putting him right back in the game in Anaheim on Sunday.
On Wednesday, ahead of the team's matchup against the 5-2-2 Philadelphia Flyers, Auston Matthews and William Nylander touched on the criticism of Sheldon Keefe. Both appear to support their head coach and have received the message that now's the time to go on a bit of a roll and pick up where they left off last season. This, a day after Mitch Marner also applauded Keefe's work with the team in the parts of four seasons he's been the bench boss in Toronto.
-Matthews on the criticism of Sheldon Keefe and what the message in the locker room is
Nylander, one of the more polarizing players on the team in the eyes of the fans, due to his streaky play and apparent unwillingness to take a hit to make a play, says that Keefe has put an emphasis on staying positive and building confidence ahead of their next 5-game stretch.
-Nylander on what Keefe's focus has been this week
There is a strong belief amongst the fans and in the media that some changes are inevitable this year. It may not come in the form of moving a piece of the Core 4, but it may involve moving someone like Alex Kerfoot or Justin Holl to shake things up a bit. Time will tell how Kyle Dubas plans to address the early struggles of the team. For now, it appears as though Keefe and the players are on the same page. They need to fix this thing from within.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 2 | 263 ANSWERS Leafs star players go public with their feelings on Sheldon Keefe and the harsh criticism he's facing Can the Leafs pull themselves out of this tailspin without a major move? | ||
| No, they need a significant trade | 51 | 19.4 % |
| Yes, they'll be fine.. it's 10 games in | 169 | 64.3 % |
| Fire the coach/GM | 43 | 16.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
