After establishing a relationship with his inherited coach, Treliving feels Keefe is a "bright mind" that can excel given a second chance.

Sheldon Keefe is still a first-time NHL head coach. But under Brad Treliving, it's clear the GM will be treating this as a second coaching stint for the Toronto Maple Leafs bench boss.

"He's open to change. He's strong in his beliefs but doesn't think he has all of the answers," Treliving said in a media availability with reporters on Tuesday. "I firmly believe that we're all sometimes better in our second jobs."

Treliving confirmed that Keefe will be back behind the bench when the Maple Leafs open the 2023-24 season. The coach, who has one year remaining on his contract, won't necessarily be going in as a lame duck, but he wasn't definitive about it, either.

"We'll deal with that at the appropriate time," Treliving said about any extension for Keefe.

The Maple Leafs' offseason of change kicked off on May 19 when the club announced the dismissal of previous general manager Kyle Dubas. And while there's sound reasoning not to fire off a bullet in the chamber by dismissing a head coach immediately, Treliving is actually curious to see how Keefe adjusts to a change in philosophy without Dubas, the person who brought him to the American Hockey League in 2015 and then the NHL with the Leafs in 2019.

"He's known Kyle a long time," Treliving reasoned. "Sometimes a little bit of new, a little bit of fresh can help a little bit of change." 

Treliving was unveiled as Toronto's newest general manager on May 31 and admitted he did not know much about Keefe. He went to Arizona where Keefe spends his offseason to get to know him and establish a relationship. 

"We probably met for over 17 hours over four or five days. I thought maybe by the third day (he would think) maybe I don't want to stick around," Treliving joked. "Once I didn't chase him out of there. I came out of there thinking he's a bright guy."

Toronto's GM also cited the belief the players have in Keefe and vice versa to run it back.

The main difference?

A philosophy change. 

Treliving dropped several hints that a philosophical change in terms of style is coming.

"There might be a change in the way we play but how does he see the game?" Treliving asked rhetorically.

Keefe has a 166-71-30 (.678) record over four seasons as head coach of the Maple Leafs, but has just one playoff series victory in that span. The Leafs have decided the 42-year-old deserves another shot to show what he can do.

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