Several NHL executives reveal who may replace Sheldon Keefe this summer if things go sideways
There had been plenty of talk this past summer about the decision to keep Sheldon Keefe as the head coach of the Maple Leafs for the start of Brad Treliving's tenure as general manager.
Despite Keefe having relatively solid numbers as a regular season head coach in Toronto, posting a record of 205-91-39, the same can't be stated for the playoffs. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to translate the same success into the playoffs with the Maple Leafs, winning only one round in the past four playoff appearances behind the bench with a record of 13-17.
This has led to many hockey analysts, radio hosts, podcasters and Leaf fans questioning whether or not Keefe is the right coach for the job to get this team to go on a deep playoff run and ending this 57 year long drought in Toronto. They may very well need a coach who has been there and who knows what it takes.
If the team moves on from Keefe this summer, who should they look to as a replacement behind the Leafs bench? Hockey columnist Bruce Garrioch, who covers the Ottawa Senators, says that former St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube is a clear front-runner for the coaching position in Toronto if the Leafs brass decide to move on from Keefe this summer.
Garrioch has suggested this week that NHL executives are under the impression that Berube, a former Leaf in his own right, could be the primary option for the Leafs if things go sideways again this spring/summer. The reality is that, while Keefe is a good coach, they may need a new voice to get them over the hump and into the deeper waters at this time of the year.
Will Berube be behind the bench with the Leafs next season? It's far too early to make that determination just yet, but the thought of replacing Keefe with a recent Stanley Cup winner in the event of another early exit is certainly an entertaining possibility.
| POLL | ||
MARS 22 | 595 ANSWERS Several NHL executives reveal who may replace Sheldon Keefe this summer if things go sideways Who would you like to see coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs next season? | ||
| Craig Berube | 173 | 29.1 % |
| Sheldon Keefe | 124 | 20.8 % |
| Joel Quenneville | 186 | 31.3 % |
| Someone else | 112 | 18.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
