The Toronto Maple Leafs won’t be making a head coaching change ahead of the 2023-24 NHL season after all. The team confirmed on Tuesday that last season’s head coach Sheldon Keefe will be in charge of the team for the upcoming campaign as well.
Keefe did a good job with the Leafs in 2022-23, leading them to a 50-21-11 record and the Second Round of Stanley Cup playoffs. This was the first time since 2004 that Toronto won a playoff series.
However, the Leafs’ ownership decided to fire general manager Kyle Dubas at the end of the season and replace him with Brad Treliving. This prompted rumors that Treliving would bring in his own coach and move on from Keefe.
Treliving cleared any doubts about Keefe’s future on Tuesday, saying that the 42-year-old will keep his job next season and beyond that. Keefe is entering the final year of his contract and will be offered an extension in the near future.
“I think Sheldon’s got a really good relationship with his players. I think there’s a really strong bond. There’s lots of belief both ways,” Treliving said.
Sheldon Keefe started his coaching career in minor hockey leagues before being hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019-20 as a first-time NHL head coach. He led the Leafs to playoffs in each of his four seasons at the helm and has a 166 -71 – 30 regular-season record.
