Under a lot of uncertainty as he addressed the media on Monday, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe seemed to be the only person who took accountability for the club's early playoff exit.
Under a lot of uncertainty as he addressed the media on Monday, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe seemed to be the only person who took accountability for the club's early playoff exit.
Sheldon Keefe isn't going to change the way he coaches his teams.
Speaking to the media following another early playoff exit, the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach took the stage and claimed responsibility for his club's inability to advance further in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"We're in the results business here and we didn't get results and we haven't met expectations and as a head coach, I take responsibility for that," he said.
The Maple Leafs fell 2-1 in overtime in Game 7 of their first-round series with the Boston Bruins on Saturday and that prompted much speculation about the head coach's future. There was some question that Keefe may not have even made it to a media availability had the Leafs decided a change at the coaching position. But there was Keefe on Monday, taking the stage. He didn't hold end-of-season interviews with players, even though GM Brad Treliving gave him the option to do so. Instead, he had casual conversations with players at Ford Performance Centre as they set off for another early summer.
Keefe reiterated the differences in his team over Boston during their first-round series. The fact that Toronto's power play didn't push through and That Boston's goaltender, Jeremy Swayman, outperformed their combined goaltending tandem of Ilya Samsonov and Joseph Woll. But the one thing he didn't do was second-guess any decision he made, firmly believing that there was no other way to go about it.
And he might be right.
Of the nine players that spoke to the media, none of them really said they need to be better and mostly kept their comments to the same usual tone of tipping their cap to the other team and how much the feeling "sucks".
Keefe asked about if he'll see things through as coach next season, said he's in the coaching business and doesn't have a say in those matters, but was unapologetic about the way he went about his job.
"I accept responsibility for not meeting results. I believe in myself greatly. I love coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs," Keefe said. "Now more than ever, I believe in myself and our team and that I will win and our team will win."
The Maple Leafs' management will not speak until Thursday. It was notable that they didn't specify exactly who will be made available between now and then, a departure from their usual protocol for end-of-season media conferences. A lot of change could happen there before the team decides on any coaching change
Keefe is under contract for two more seasons, thanks in part to an extension was given to him last summer.
There is a new boss in charge at the very top of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment with Keith Pelley, who officially took the reigns last month. There may not be an appetite just yet to make sweeping changes so early.
Brendan Shanahan has served as President of the Maple Leafs for 10 years and it will be interesting to see if he is the one speaking on Thursday.
But if Keefe is going out, he certainly didn't act like someone who wasn't proud of the effort he put forth. And it may be just enough to keep him around a bit longer while the club pursues change at other levels, whether that is management or players.
One thing is certain this time. Like the change made at the GM level last year, there's going to be a change in Toronto somewhere. Stay tuned.
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