Sheldon Keefe officially on the hot seat in Toronto; Dubas would not commit to whether or not he'll bring his coach back
As expected, a lot was said during today's media availability but not a lot of concrete information came out. The Toronto Maple Leafs look like a team in shambles right now from top to bottom and there are a myriad of question marks that need a swift but just response in the next few weeks leading up the draft and free agency.
A hot topic for debate right now is whether or not the Leafs should continue riding with Sheldon Keefe behind the bench or not. He's been around for parts of 4 seasons, has posted a 166-71-30 record but has not had a lick of playoff success, unless you count the first round victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning a successful trip. Keefe agreed to a 2-year extension on the 1st of October, 2021 and it would have him employed through the 2023-24 season.
The Leafs' 2nd round defeat to the Florida Panthers was a tough one to swallow for a variety of reasons and many are wondering if the head coach will be back. The core is being questioned, the general manager might not return, and Brendan Shanahan is feeling the brunt of the criticism, as the Shanaplan has failed to this point. Kyle Dubas took to the podium today and was rather coy on the future of his head coach. Sheldon Keefe must feel the heat now, because Dubas would not commit to bringing back Keefe just yet.
Keefe was on the record saying that he hopes that Dubas' contract situation gets ironed out quickly, that his team went into the series a "little too guarded", but that as a group they made a lot of progress. It's safe to say he's looking for another opportunity to help elevate his team even more.
Dubas, on the other hand, said that this year was extremely taxing for him, that he needs to speak to Shanahan, the ownership group, and his family about the next steps, but puts the blame and onus on himself.
When monumental changes do occur, it is usually the head coach that takes the first arrow, followed by a trade, and then, when all else fails, the general manager is let go. All 3 of those things could happen this summer simultaneously, but as things stand right now, the Leafs are mum on Keefe's future and could look elsewhere for a shakeup behind the bench ahead of the 2023-24 season, as Dubas will consider all options if brought back.
| POLL | ||
MAI 15 | 509 ANSWERS Sheldon Keefe officially on the hot seat in Toronto; Dubas would not commit to whether or not he'll bring his coach back Will Sheldon Keefe be back next season? | ||
| Yes | 170 | 33.4 % |
| No | 339 | 66.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
