Shane Doan becomes an assistant to Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving as the club shores up its deep ties to Arizona. Will that be enough to extend Auston Matthews? It’s been nearly two weeks since Brad Treliving became the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but there appears to be no clarity yet on where things stand with the team and head coach Sheldon Keefe. On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast [https://www.sportsnet.ca/podcasts/32-thoughts/], Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was asked about where things stand between the team and the coach. "I had heard this was going to get sorted out early this week. Now I’m not even convinced it will be," Friedman said. Friedman didn't give any particular reason for the delay but did ponder if the club had been talking to any other prospective head coaching candidates. "Is there a chance Toronto started talking to somebody else and I can’t find anyone? I think the answer is no. I don’t think they’ve talked to anybody else," Friedman said. "I don’t know why it’s taking this long. I thought it was going to be earlier this week. But then I had people say ‘don’t assume that’. I’ve got no reason to believe they are talking to anyone else. So I don’t have a good answer for you." Keefe has one year remaining on his current deal as head coach and Friedman had earlier reported that the team had been talking about an extension for Keefe to avoid a 'lame duck' scenario. "If he's back, I think we're in a situation where they won't go in with him in his last year, I think there will be an extension if he returns as coach of the Leafs," Friedman said on Saturday during the second intermission of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Following the Maple Leafs' second-round playoff exit at the hands of the Florida Panthers in May, the club parted ways with general manager Kyle Dubas. Treliving was introduced as Dubas' replacement on May 31 and lauded Keefe's 166-71-30 record in four seasons as the club's coach. "My outside lens of Sheldon. I think he's a really good coach," Treliving said. "My view of determining if he's good, bad, indifferent, you have to work with him and you have to get to know him. I'm coming in with no preconceived notions." Related Maple Leafs and Michael Bunting Have Not Held Contract Talks Since Season Ended [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/news/maple-leafs-and-michael-bunting-have-not-held-contract-talks-since-season-ended] Why Shane Doan Decided the Leave the Coyotes for the Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/news/why-shane-doan-decided-the-leave-the-coyotes-for-the-maple-leafs] Report: Maple Leafs' Luke Schenn Seeking Term and Trade Protection in Extension Talks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/news/report-maple-leafs-luke-schenn-seeking-term-and-trade-protection-in-extension-talks]
