Sheldon Keefe disrespected by the NHL's Broadcasters Association
When the Leafs fired former head coach Mike Babcock in a highly publicized move, they replaced the former Stanley Cup winning head coach with a rookie, Sheldon Keefe. The move was met with a some criticism, though it was at least mildly understood that the organization felt as though Keefe deserved the promotion after a Calder Cup win with the AHL's Toronto Marlies in 2018.
Since taking over as head coach of the Leafs, all Keefe has done is won. His lowest points percentage came in his rookie season, when he posted a 27-15-5 record, good for a .628 points percentage. Since that time, he has only gotten better, posting a .688 PTS% and a .701 PTS% in consecutive seasons. So far this season, Keefe has racked up an incredible .714 PTS% and a 22-7-6 record, good for 3rd in the entire NHL. His Leafs are also 2nd in the league in goals against.
What's perhaps the most impressive feather in Keefe's cap this season is that his Leafs are among the top teams in terms of man-games lost due to injury this season and have spent long durations without BOTH of the team's starting goaltenders, as well as 3 of the team's top 4 defensemen. Surely, he's a shoo-in for a Jack Adams nomination, right? Well, not according to the midseason Jack Adams vote.
The NHL's Broadcasters Association currently does not even view Keefe as a top-6 candidate, ranking Jim Montgomery, Lindy Ruff, Rick Bowness, Bruce Cassidy, Rod Brind'Amour and Jared Bednar ahead of the young coach.
Listen, I get it. Nobody expected Winnipeg or New Jersey to be doing as well as they are. And when it comes to Jim Montgomery, the Bruins are the top team in the league this year. Beyond that, though, if Keefe isn't RIGHT THERE with Brind'Amour, something is really wrong. The Leafs are 2 points back of 2nd place in the entire league. Meanwhile, Ruff's Devils are 3-6-1 in their last 10.
I don't want to mention a clear anti-Leaf bias here, but if the shoe fits...
| POLL | ||
28 DECEMBRE | 2370 ANSWERS Sheldon Keefe disrespected by the NHL's Broadcasters Association Does Sheldon Keefe belong in the midseason Jack Adams conversation? | ||
| Yes | 2180 | 92 % |
| No | 190 | 8 % |
| List of polls | ||
