Is Sheldon Keefe The Issue?

[BallardEra]

Coach Keefe seems like he cares more about being BFFs with the boys rather than dishing out tough love.

 

[HolyCrap]

He’s a problem no doubt. And should have already gotten the boot. But the core has gone through coaches before. We need a top 2 RHD and better team philosophy on defence (new coach could help that). Also Mathews and marner lack of compete so far is a big issue. The team needs a major retool. It has needed one for years.

 

[Stephen]

Look at Keefe's handling of Mitch. Critical of his play after the Chicago game, and then business as usual comments after Mitch has an even worse performance in Pittsburgh. Are you holding a guy to a standard or are you coddling a fragile personality? You might as well have ChatGPT coach this team, you'd get the same random nonsense.

 

[AuraSphere]

The team could really use a Tortorella/Babcock type coach right now... Marner/Matthews are way too comfortable.

 

[leafsfan5]

Listen to his comments on Marner tonight.

He can't even tell his stars they need to be better. As spineless as the nitwit who hired him.

Keefe is a bottom-5 coach in the league at this point in time. Why he's still being kept around is completely beyond me.

I mean he's called them out publicly before, he just had to walk it back after

There is more going on behind the scenes than simply Keefe being spineless and scared of calling out his players. This is more of a reflection on the core + Shanahan than it is Keefe IMO (who I have wanted fired for a few years now, btw)

 

[ACC1224]

Look at Keefe's handling of Mitch. Critical of his play after the Chicago game, and then business as usual comments after Mitch has an even worse performance in Pittsburgh. Are you holding a guy to a standard or are you coddling a fragile personality? You might as well have ChatGPT coach this team, you'd get the same random nonsense.

What he says in public isn’t necessarily what he says in private.

 

[hotpaws]

What he says in public isn’t necessarily what he says in private.

yup and i have no idea why people believe it's necessary to rip your players in front of the media

 

[ACC1224]

yup and i have no idea why people believe it's necessary to rip your players in front of the media

No kidding especially in this market

 

[AuraSphere]

What he says in public isn’t necessarily what he says in private.

That's fine - but he shouldn't be singing their praises in public either. Talking about how Mitch is leading 5 on 5 point production and thinking their line was good against Pens.


Tf is this

 

[Maple Leaf]

need an experienced nhl coach and gm who has won
keefe is ahl coach

 

[ACC1224]

That's fine - but he shouldn't be singing their praises in public either. Talking about how Mitch is leading 5 on 5 point production and thinking their line was good against Pens.


Tf is this

He said he thought their line was good?

I dont see any harm in his comments.

 

[AuraSphere]

He said he thought their line was good?

I dont see any harm in his comments.

Yes he said their line was good and defended Marner on how he's been good 5 on 5 - which is just false regardless of his point total.

The harm in his comments is if the coach is telling them theyre playing just fine, why do Marner/Matthews feel like they'd need to change anything about their game? It's ridiculous - if you don't want to call out your players to the media that's fine - just don't sing praises about them either and justify how theyre actually doing well

 

[ACC1224]

Yes he said their line was good and defended Marner on how he's been good 5 on 5 - which is just false regardless of his point total.

The harm in his comments is if the coach is telling them theyre playing just fine, why do Marner/Matthews feel like they'd need to change anything about their game? It's ridiculous - if you don't want to call out your players to the media that's fine - just don't sing praises about them either and justify how theyre actually doing well

The coach would speak to them directly not through the media. We don’t know what the coach is saying to them privately but I doubt it’s alll positive.
I don’t see the harm, it would cause a shit storm if he tore into them through the press. I don’t see how that’s a good thing.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Yes.

Hello?

 

[Ricky Bobby]

Keefe should have been let go after they lost to Tampa in the playoffs two seasons ago.

He should have been fired a season earlier. We lost to the Habs largely because he got outcoached.

The power play in particular was abysmal for over 30 games leasing up to that series and he just letting Malhotra lead it. Only after the season he remove Malhotra from running it.

 

[Gabriel426]

It is not just Keefe being nice but the top guys are just nice.
Look at JT against the Pens, how can you get manhandled the way he did in front of the net and do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Even Petey in Vancouver would push back if someone run him the wrong way.
You can’t play in a physical sports and be vanilla and just carry on esp if you are the Capt and a top player.
Then you have Keefe just catering to the top guys.

 

[ITM]

It doesn’t seem as though friendship with the coach is enough to inspire sacrifice from our group.

Perhaps a new coach in which the relationship is purely transactional would be the kind of jolt needed?

I’d do it just to confirm that we need to move on from our current core arrangement.

 

[andora]

Keefe's post game presser was gut wrenching.

Throwing Robertson and Timmons under the bus. While completely absolving Matthews and Marner. Those two played another 24 minutes together.

Despite stinking the place up.

Marner making hope passes and showing no fight against the boards are a coaching issue. When a player isn't held accountable they will continue doing whatever they want. What motivation is there to change if no one is punishing you for your stupid fundamental mistakes?

They need a coach that hold them to the highest standards of accountablity.

Keefe is soft. The Benjamin Disraeli of coaches. "Peace for our time" and other such nonsense.

He just kisses the stars butts so he still has a job.

They need someone with balls who will kick these lazy donkey's asses. The team is already out of a playoffs position after American Thanksgiving. Why wait until they are buried so far they can't get back?

Just fire this loser now.

Yeah he is getting worse and worse with how he comes across and he never was strong

Sounded like a pta member last night

does keefe have a clue? is shanabang telling him he cannot discipline the gold dust twins? who does marner have pictures of?
the quote below was from after the game last night when questioned as to whether he was concerned about marner

"One of the many reports I get before every game — I am reading through them before every game — is our five-on-five scoring this season. At the top of the list is Mitch Marner."

marner is 3rd in 5 on 5 scoring behind willie and auston ... and 1 point ahead of morgan ... for 11 mill it is not good enough in my view ....

need a coach to hold these guys accountable

Seriously reading that before the game?.. wtf.. couple clicks on the screen man

Should be reading reports on the other team

 

[Racer88]

What he says in public isn’t necessarily what he says in private.

i can’t imagine he is saying to much to them in private and if he is they certainly are not listening because it’s the same show year after year

yup and i have no idea why people believe it's necessary to rip your players in front of the media

Because if he is doing it in private they sure aren’t listening so maybe it’s time he put some heat on them in the public

 

[Nineteen67]

Does anyone even think this team is a real Stanley cup contender anymore? We missed that boat and unless a drastic change happens, nothing will change and well continue watching this team get worse and worse.

Outside of few fans has anyone ever considered this team a legit Cup contender? Winning a round or two every other year is the hope and expectation.

I still believe if they can add a couple of reliable D they could easily win 2 rounds this year if they get the right matchup.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Coaches are hired to be fired...and in this case, I think it's run it's course with him.

It probably already had prior to this but now it's just super obvious.

 

[Nineteen67]

Pretty much sums it up.

I was angry about the CBJ play-in series, but the MTL series was it.

CBJ and the Leafs were comparable teams and it’s understandable, but TTOE was unacceptable and heads should have rolled after that.

 

[notbias]

need an experienced nhl coach and gm who has won
keefe is ahl coach

Babcock + Lou

This is how logical this response is and this should be the answer every time.

 

[Captain Crunch]

16 and 34 are his meal ticket. He has their backs. I'd like to see him give the second PP unit get some PP1 time. Stop cateering to the core all the time.

I may be wrong, but I put 100% of what's wrong with this team on Shanahan!

 

[Captain Crunch]

does keefe have a clue? is shanabang telling him he cannot discipline the gold dust twins? who does marner have pictures of?
the quote below was from after the game last night when questioned as to whether he was concerned about marner

"One of the many reports I get before every game — I am reading through them before every game — is our five-on-five scoring this season. At the top of the list is Mitch Marner."

marner is 3rd in 5 on 5 scoring behind willie and auston ... and 1 point ahead of morgan ... for 11 mill it is not good enough in my view ....

need a coach to hold these guys accountable

Even moreso, we need a President of Hockey Operations (or whatever title Shanahan holds) who first and foremost holds himself accountable, and you then have this trickle down effect!