Toronto Maple Leafs practice at home for the first time since returning from a five-game road trip that saw them go 1-2-2. The music was blaring at Ford Performance Centre on Tuesday. A signature of Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe-led practices, the speakers were back on as the team practiced at home for the first time in 11 days. The players had smiles on their faces. The core group of players that spoke to the media following the session were in good spirits. The question is, will it be enough to help them get out of their current funk? "I think the last few games I've picked up the rhythm a little bit," Auston Matthews said. "I think there's another level for myself and everyone in this room." Matthews picked up his third goal of the season in the Maple Leafs' 4-3 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. The fact that his team earned a point against the worst team in the NHL provided little consolation for Matthews and his team. Ditto when they scraped a point in overtime against the lowly San Jose Sharks. "When you talk about our start and the results that we've had. The points are probably more than I would expect, based on how we've played, frankly," Keefe said. "That speaks to the ability and talent we have as a group." After a travel day on Monday, Keefe changed his approach and elected not to show his team any video until the club arrived to practice on Tuesday. When they hit the ice, Keefe spent some one-on-one time with his star players, namely Matthews and Mitch Marner, who have both struggled to put up points at the pace they have in previous seasons. There was a lot of instruction in the hour-long practice, as they tried to clean up an important area; breakouts. "It's been a struggle getting out of our zone, going through the three zones with speed," Marner said. "When we're doing that good, it's hard to contain us. It just hasn't been there yet, but we've got to stay patient with it." Following practice, arguably the largest contingent of media since the pandemic descended to the Maple Leafs' locker room to discuss the burning question of the day. After a 4-4-2 start to the season, Keefe's job security has come into question. The coach ripped into his team's season-opening performance in a 4-3 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. He called out his elite players for "not playing like elite players after a 4-2 upset loss to the Arizona Coyotes. And he also cut off a reporter's question about opposing players cutting through his team's defense in a 3-1 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. "He's been good," Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said. "He's expressed his opinion on things in terms of how we're playing. Our structure. I think it's good to have that kind of open communication." In Anaheim, Keefe appeared to call out Marner's performance after the start player's two turnovers led to goals for the Ducks. Keefe proceeded to bench Marner for one shift before allowing him to return. Marner insisted there was no animosity between him and the coach. "Keefer's done an unbelievable job when he's come in and done what he's done," Marner said. "If you look at our numbers we've really improved on a lot of things and he's done an amazing job here. It's been a lot of fun to play for him." Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe chats with Mitch Marner before the team's first practice after a 4-3 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Did they envision being a .500 team after the first 10 games of the season, against teams that failed to make it past the first round? "I don't think we're ever thinking about hypotheticals like that. Ever," Matthews said. "That's pretty much the mindset." There doesn't appear to be an appetite from Leafs management to make a coaching change at this time. Through 195 games coached, Keefe holds a regular-season record of 120-54-21. His .669 points percentage is the highest all-time record among Leafs coaches. But it's clear the calls for a chance would grow louder if Toronto's sluggish play on the road continues as the club plays eight of its next 10 games at home. At that point could the Leafs be playing to save Keefe? "We don't really look at it that way in what ifs or anything like that," John Tavares said. "We're all really lucky and I think Sheldon is a great coach.
