Maple Leafs fire head coach Sheldon Keefe after five seasons

The Toronto Maple Leafs are making a change following their opening-round playoff exit. The group has fired head coach Sheldon Keefe after five seasons, in accordance with an announcement on Thursday.

Maple Leafs basic supervisor Brad Treliving acknowledged that the franchise will instantly start looking for a brand new head coach.

“Today’s decision was difficult,” the group mentioned in an announcement. “Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man; however, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal. We thank Sheldon for his hard work and dedication to the organization over the last nine years, and wish him and his family all the very best.”

Keefe put collectively a 212-97-40 report in 349 regular-season video games with Toronto. The Maple Leafs had recorded 100-point campaigns in every of the final three seasons, together with registering a franchise report 115 factors in 2021-22.

Prior to his arrival with the Maple Leafs, Keefe served because the head coach of the group’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, for five seasons. He led the Marlies to their first Calder Cup in group historical past again in 2018.

The Maple Leafs tallied a 46-26-10 report (102 factors) through the 2023-24 common season and completed in third place within the Atlantic Division behind the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins. Toronto was eradicated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs within the opening spherical this previous weekend when the Bruins outlasted the Maple Leafs in seven video games.

Toronto has registered only one sequence victory because the 2003-04 season, which got here once they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning within the first spherical of the 2023 postseason.