(Toronto) Head coach Sheldon Keefe quickly impressed new Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving by accepting his share of the blame for the team’s recent playoff failures.
Keefe signed a two-year contract extension with the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, which will keep him with the organization until at least 2025. Treliving touted Keefe’s point guard qualities.
“Sheldon was transparent and honest in accepting responsibility for what happened here,” said Treliving, who joined the Maple Leafs on May 31, about two weeks after the elimination of the team in the second round of the playoffs. I think you always have to start by looking at yourself in the mirror, judging your own performance. I think Sheldon did that.
“And I saw everything he did over the summer to keep in touch with the players, to get their opinion on certain things and to know what to change. »
The 42-year-old Keefe became the 31st head coach in Maple Leafs history on November 20, 2019. In 267 regular season games, Keefe led his team to a 166-71-30 record, which ranks sixth in most wins by a head coach in the franchise’s 105-year history.
Since Keefe came on the scene, the Maple Leafs have set team records for most wins (54) and points (115) in a single season, in 2021-22.
However, the Toronto team is still having difficulty transposing these successes to the playoffs.
Last spring, the Maple Leafs eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games to win their first round of the playoffs since 2004. They were, however, eliminated in the next round against the Florida Panthers.
“With the success the team has had in the regular season, it would be easy to settle for the status quo,” Treliving said via video call. But (Keefe) is looking for ways to keep improving the team. »
For his part, Keefe considers himself privileged to lead the Maple Leafs.
“We have so many great players and people within our organization that I am grateful to work with, and together our commitment to the team’s success remains unwavering,” he said in a statement.
Keefe first joined the Maple Leafs organization in June 2015 as head coach of the Toronto Marlies of the AHL. During his tenure, Keefe led the Maple Leafs farm club to their first Calder Cup title in 2018.
The contract extension granted to Keefe represents another important decision for Treliving this summer. Last week, he signed a four-year, $53 million contract extension to star center Auston Matthews.
“A lot of people will think the whole point of the Keefe deal was to avoid distractions during the season,” Treliving said. As a manager, I think you always want to eliminate those distractions.
“But I want to be clear: we settled this case because he is a good coach and his regular season record shows exactly that. »
Treliving also noted that he had spoken with several players about the possibility of extending Keefe’s stay behind the bench.
“It’s not a popularity contest, but you can feel when a coach has had an impact on them and when they believe the coach has an impact on the team,” Treliving said.
“There are tough times when he’s going to be demanding because he has high expectations of this group,” Treliving added. He will push the players, but they trust him. »
The Maple Leafs begin their season on October 11, when they host the Montreal Canadiens.
