'I Look At It As Progress And Those Guys Care': Sheldon Keefe Gives His Perspective of Bench Argument Involving Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander in Game 4 Loss Against Bruins
The Toronto head coach has been around for many playoff exits but took no issue with his top players holding themselves to account.
The biggest talking point to come out of the Toronto Maple Leafs' 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday night wasn't so much that the club is now facing elimination. While that's very much important the reality of their situation, the most compelling takeaway stemmed from a heated exchange that saw star players Auston Matthews and William Nylander sniping at teammate Mitch Marner.
Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe put a positive spin on the exchange on Sunday saying it shows that the players are holding themselves to account.
"I look at it as something that happens when things aren't going well. In the past, quite honestly, that wouldn't have happened," Keefe said on Sunday. "Guys wouldn't have talked it out, wouldn't have, you want to call it arguing it out, that wouldn't have happened. I look at that as progress and those guys care."
Toronto's star players haven't been able to provide the offense necessary to compete with the Bruins in their best-of-seven series. Limited to just seven goals over four games, it hasn't been easy. The club had been without Nylander for the first three games before he returned on Saturday from a reported migraine issue.
Matthews departed before the start of the third period due to a lingering illness that appears to have lingered far longer than Toronto had expected.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS32NBrLbw0[/embed]
It's clear frustration is running high with the Leafs, despite Keefe refusing to characterize it that way.
"I don't look at it as frustration. I look at them being upset and pissed off that they didn't deliver for the team and they're pushing and challenging each other to get it right. "Keefe said. These guys have been together a long time and they're pushing and challenging each other to get it right. They know how important they are to the team. When they're not delivering, they recognize it. I don't look at it as much more than that.
Keefe said on Sunday that he was on the other side of the bench with Matthews and Nylander's heated exchange with Marner took place and left it to the players to sort out the issue at hand. But felt it wasn't one of those situation in which he'd need to intervene.
" I don't look at it as a big deal. I think it's important that those guys work their way through some things and figure things out," Keefe added. "They have a great responsibility to our team and they take it very seriously. They're going to work together to find their way. I think that working together is really important, not just with the remainder of our group. Those guys have all got to pull together and it's going to take that type of team effort to help us work our way through this."
The Maple Leafs did not skate on Sunday except players who did not take part in Saturday's game. They will hold a practice on Monday before flying out to Boston for Game 5 where they must win to stay alive in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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