Sheldon Keefe admits his future in Toronto is ‘out of the question’ [son] control”, but he believes he is still the right man to help the Toronto Maple Leafs win next season.
“I believe a lot in myself. I love coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now more than ever, I believe I’m going to win and our team is going to win,” Keefe told the media Monday during the team’s end-of-season review, just two days after losing Game 7 to the Boston Bruins. Boston in the first round of the playoffs.
The 43-year-old just completed his fifth season as head coach of the Maple Leafs, having led the team to a 46-26-10 record in 2023-24. Keefe’s new two-year contract, signed last August, will begin during the 2024-2025 season.
The Maple Leafs are tied in the NHL for the longest active streak of consecutive playoff appearances with eight. Toronto has only won one series during that stretch, however, beating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games last year before losing to the Florida Panthers in five games in the second round.
“We’re in the results business and we haven’t gotten results, and we haven’t met expectations. As head coach, I take responsibility for that,” Keefe said during his opening speech.
Keefe is 212-97-40 as head coach in the regular season in Toronto. Keefe’s 212 victories are the fifth highest total in club history, behind Dick Irvin (216).
Keefe has served as Leafs head coach since the firing of Mike Babcock in 2019.
