Is Sheldon Keefe The Issue?

[nsleaf]

Have never been a Keefe fan, but not too sure a different coach would make a difference currently.

 

[thusk]

Sheldon loses his mind at Bertuzzi, he has never done that to Marner who plays far too fancy or Matthews who has a terrible compete level, Reilly for pinching 24/7. I wonder how entitled the top players feel, Bertuzzi is the whipping boy this season, Keefe is terrified to call out Marner or Matthews, he tried it once last year and backpedaled immediately. Fire Keefe, ASAP.

I feel like I am a pretty objective fan of this team. I liked what I saw from Keefe last night, but what irritated me was why just pick on Bertuzzi? Why not also blast Marner? Marner's give aways last night were unforced and egregious.

the answer is pretty easy

as a fan your're looking at the 1 min to 1m30 player like matthews or marner had the puck on their stick.

as a coach, they watching 1M 1m30 with the puck but even more the 20 minutes they was playing without it. I heard a lot last few days than leafs should put marner on 4th line but thats will never happen whatever wich coavh would be behind the bench for 1 simple reason. no body was working harder than marner on the defensive end.

when youre demoting a player especially a great player, pratically everytime would result of a lack of work and its not the case with marner.

 

[BrannigansLaw]

He’s not the best coach but he’s not “the” issue either.

The issue is and always will be the core. You can bring in a new coach/GM or surround them with whatever players you can squeeze into our cap structure, but if they don’t change (which they won’t), we will always be a playoff team that goes nowhere once there.

 

[ToneDog]

He’s not the best coach but he’s not “the” issue either.

The issue is and always will be the core. You can bring in a new coach/GM or surround them with whatever players you can squeeze into our cap structure, but if they don’t change (which they won’t), we will always be a playoff team that goes nowhere once there.

They are the common denominator. All that talent and not enough heart, pride, and motivation to do what it takes to win. Florida will send them golfing in 4 or 5 if they meet in round one if things do not change IMO.

 

[AuraSphere]

This is being addressed 7 years into the core 4
The coach either can't coach a veteran team or this bunch is just too f***in rich
7 years before you call someone out and it still wasn't marner who looks l8ke he has been playing with mono

I mean most of the fan base has been calling Keefe out since his playoff loss to MTL tbh

 

[Larcos_Unal]

I don't see the Leafs firing Keefe before the extension kicks in so enjoy this brand of hockey for at least one more year boys.

 

[thewave]

Keefe still here, problems still exist, therefore the answer is YES.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Keefe getting burned by playing JT in OT.

It’s super hard sheltering slow man JT 5v5, but for Keefe to see a role for JT in OT shows he’s not icing the best team.

JT in OT:

Face Off and then get off as soon as possible.

 

[Mr_Fun]

I think he does some things well and some things not so well. Obviously one of the not do well things up until now is the playoffs.

If there's a dynamic coach available, then I'm all for a coaching change. I just don't think bringing in these retreads is what is going to make a positive difference.

 

[egd27]

it's the little things that annoy me.....

the inattention to detail
simple line changes are seemingly to complex
the continued lack of fundamentals
and some head scratching decisions

Last night the Leafs had an O-zone faceoff with 11 secs left in the period. The obvious strategy would be to send in a play designed to get the puck to AM34 for a final shot. Guess who Keefe had taking the draw?

 

[Jacquestrapless]

I wonder if Trev trusts him enough to trade future assets for rentals.

Imagine trading a first for Tanev and Keefe fails in the first round again.

 

[Racer88]

Who even knows anymore what’s wrong with this team. We have had more changes in the supporting cast then we can count. We have had 2 coaches since this core has been put together first Babs and now Keefe.
i guess it cannot hurt to try another coach but they will play just good enough so the GM cannot justify firing Keefe. It will take one more early playoff exit before anything change

 

[BallardEra]

I wonder if Trev trusts him enough to trade future assets for rentals.

Imagine trading a first for Tanev and Keefe fails in the first round again.

Goes back to Shanahan. He brought in Treliving and most likely told him to keep Keefe as well.

If Treliving kept Keefe by choice then that's a strike against him.

I think Keefe fully expected to get fired after last season and pretty much thought it was a lock after Dubas was fired.

Keefe probably felt like he won the lottery when he stayed on.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

I was willing to give Keefe a chance to see what he can do unattached to a Dubas team. Maybe have a different vision where he does things a bit differently. While he seems to be a bit more ornery and short-fused with the players and/or refs, which is refreshing to see, a lot of the same issues remain.

The team looks unprepared to start the game most of the time, and they hardly ever play a full hard 60 minutes. Sometimes it takes him too long to shuffle things around. But what's most concerning is the defensive play in their own end. The same issues stretch back to Babcock (which Keefe was supposedly going to fix), but what's most surprising is just how lost they look out there a lot of the time. Not in position, scrambling around, completely hemmed in for a long time. Seeing the stark contrast last night versus the Bruins who are so sound fundamentally highlighted it.

The team can and should be better. Things could get worse. The leash on him should be tightening. I know he's a players' coach, but being near the bottom of the league in regulation wins with all the league's bottom feeders while having the talent he does at his disposal is a big reflection of him.

 

[BallardEra]

While he seems to be a bit more ornery and short-fused with the players and/or refs, which is refreshing to see, a lot of the same issues remain.

This is most likely because he knows the heat and spotlight is fully on him this season.

 

[arso40]

I was willing to give Keefe a chance to see what he can do unattached to a Dubas team. Maybe have a different vision where he does things a bit differently. While he seems to be a bit more ornery and short-fused with the players and/or refs, which is refreshing to see, a lot of the same issues remain.

The team looks unprepared to start the game most of the time, and they hardly ever play a full hard 60 minutes. Sometimes it takes him too long to shuffle things around. But what's most concerning is the defensive play in their own end. The same issues stretch back to Babcock (which Keefe was supposedly going to fix), but what's most surprising is just how lost they look out there a lot of the time. Not in position, scrambling around, completely hemmed in for a long time. Seeing the stark contrast last night versus the Bruins who are so sound fundamentally highlighted it.

The team can and should be better. Things could get worse. The leash on him should be tightening. I know he's a players' coach, but being near the bottom of the league in regulation wins with all the league's bottom feeders while having the talent he does at his disposal is a big reflection of him.

Fix the baccend before you crucify the coach give him a good team and fire him if he doesn’t meet expectations