Sheldon Keefe Discussion Thread

[Dekes For Days]

I don't want to shield them from any/all adversity and I know that's impossible. I was specifically talking about the added adversity from losing home ice and arguing that it would be a problem for the Leafs to deal with, and you seemed to disagree with that concept by suggesting they need more adversity for whatever reason. Frankly I think the Leafs have been through enough and should understand what dealing with adversity is like by now

I never said anything about wanting to see them experience the adversity of losing home ice. Of course I want to keep home ice.
I said that I'm not interested in desperately shielding them from the adversity of having to play through different lineup combinations.

 

[Zybalto]

1-3-1. And against NJ he abandoned it and won. Cranks lol. And your argument suggests he had no choice. Go forbid her rest Gio, what crank would suggest such absurdity.

...because it's not about rest and more about chemistry?...and why bench a lock in Gio when you are rotating guys in to find it? You don't think they are monitoring every players fatigue levels at this point in the season?

It seems crystal clear what is going on so why are you looking for reasons to call it different?

Maybe after Sat. He'll go back to it and then run the last 10 games and maybe they'll even take Gio out.

This all seems so silly to get worked up about.

 

[Zybalto]

Its my opinion that if the Leafs had a real NHL capable coach, they wouldn't have lost against CBJ and Montreal in past years.

The winningest regular season NHL coach (Despite middle of the pack team goaltending numbers) in the league isn't a real coach and .950 save vs. sub .890 save % in elimination games in the playoffs while outshooting teams an average of 37-29 is also on coaching.

Gotcha. (you are the resident goaltending expert around here too right?)

If only he had Coopers magic of whispering sweet nothings in Vasys ears while Vasy saves Tampas bacon round after round in big games. Thats some high quality coaching there!

 

[Zybalto]

My working thesis is we win in spite of Keefe, not because of him.

Keefe's coaching record:

156-68-28 (.675)

Highest winning% in the history of the NHL of any coach with 250+ games coached, despite also being one of the most injured teams in the league during his tenure with middling goaltending.

Do you really think the Leafs are the 76-77 Habs but its Keefe holding them back?

Of all the things to complain about, playoff coaching is literally at the bottom of the list. The Leafs were the better team in all three series outside of one position that will make or break their playoffs this year. Anyone pretending otherwise is deluded.

Goaltending differential in big games (the biggest issue by far)
Injuries
On the wrong end of calls in every series
Bottom six are among the worst finishers in the playoffs.
Not enough finish from top six overall to make up for the bottom 6.

These have been our biggest issues.

If we can stay healthy and get an actual good goaltending performance in a big playoff game for the first time since friggin Belfour, that will probably be enough. I guarantee the bottom 6 will be better than what we have had the last 3 years. I dont think it could get much worse than we have gotten so we have to be getting a boost there.

 

[ToneDog]

Remaining games:

Tampa (13 6H 7A)

Montreal
New Jersey
@ Montreal
@ Ottawa
@ Boston
@ Carolina
Washington
Islanders
@ Rangers
@ Islanders
@ Ottawa
Toronto
Detroit

Toronto (15 5H 10A)

Carolina
@ Ottawa
@ Islanders
@ Florida
@ Carolina
@ Nashville
Florida
@ Ottawa
Detroit
Columbus
@ Boston
Montreal
@ Florida
@ Tampa
@ Rangers

 

[CDN24]

Keefe's coaching record:

156-68-28 (.675)

Highest winning% in the history of the NHL of any coach with 250+ games coached, despite also being one of the most injured teams in the league during his tenure with middling goaltending.

Do you really think the Leafs are the 76-77 Habs but its Keefe holding them back?

Of all the things to complain about, playoff coaching is literally at the bottom of the list. The Leafs were the better team in all three series outside of one position that will make or break their playoffs this year. Anyone pretending otherwise is deluded.

Goaltending differential in big games (the biggest issue by far)
Injuries
On the wrong end of calls in every series
Bottom six are among the worst finishers in the playoffs.
Not enough finish from top six overall to make up for the bottom 6.

These have been our biggest issues.

If we can stay healthy and get an actual good goaltending performance in a big playoff game for the first time since friggin Belfour, that will probably be enough. I guarantee the bottom 6 will be better than what we have had the last 3 years. I dont think it could get much worse than we have gotten so we have to be getting a boost there.

They may not be the 76-77 Habs, but the 76-77 Habs would have had more than 8 losses with Keefe as coach. similarly the 2020-21 Leafs would have beaten the Habs with Bowman as coach. with 3 chances and 2 of them on home ice Bowman would have kept Matthews/Marner a long way from Danault. It was night and day when habs got to Finals that year Cooper kept his stars away from Danault and forced the Suzuki line to defend which neutralized mtls main offensive threat at the same time.

You know what else affects a goalies performance- coaching and matchups.

 

[Zybalto]

They may not be the 76-77 Habs, but the 76-77 Habs would have had more than 8 losses with Keefe as coach. similarly the 2020-21 Leafs would have beaten the Habs with Bowman as coach. with 3 chances and 2 of them on home ice Bowman would have kept Matthews/Marner a long way from Danault. It was night and day when habs got to Finals that year Cooper kept his stars away from Danault and forced the Suzuki line to defend which neutralized mtls main offensive threat at the same time.

You know what else affects a goalies performance- coaching and matchups.

Go watch the series again.

Danault centered one of the best 2-way lines in the league all season and that line was split up after a game 5 win for a reason.

The Matthews line was wrecking them every game. Just go watch it.

Just because Matthews hit half a dozen posts (on his soon to be surgically repaired wrist) and got stoned a few times by Price doesnt have a thing to do with one of the worst series of Danault's career (both visually and statistically).

Blame Matthews all you want for not finishing on his chances (he wasnt the only one and for a good reason) but I'm pretty sure the Leafs win in 5 (maybe even 4) if you just flip the goalies.

Coaching in itself is kinda an overrated aspect of the game but if I see my main line ripping it up against their shutdown line, I'm going to keep throwing them out there. Danault had a great 2nd round series in that he kept the other teams best players to very few shots/scoring chances.......I think Matthews led the entire first round for shots/scoring chances. Thats not good D lol.

Was so satisfying to see half those morons in the Habs front office lose their jobs for not recognizing they had a garbage team getting carried to the finals by a legendary goalie in his last great act.

 

[CDN24]

Go watch the series again.

Danault centered one of the best 2-way lines in the league all season and that line was split up after a game 5 win for a reason.

The Matthews line was wrecking them every game. Just go watch it.

Just because Matthews hit half a dozen posts (on his soon to be surgically repaired wrist) and got stoned a few times by Price doesnt have a thing to do with one of the worst series of Danault's career (both visually and statistically).

Blame Matthews all you want for not finishing on his chances (he wasnt the only one and for a good reason) but I'm pretty sure the Leafs win in 5 (maybe even 4) if you just flip the goalies.

Coaching in itself is kinda an overrated aspect of the game but if I see my main line ripping it up against their shutdown line, I'm going to keep throwing them out there. Danault had a great 2nd round series in that he kept the other teams best players to very few shots/scoring chances.......I think Matthews led the entire first round for shots/scoring chances. Thats not good D lol.

Was so satisfying to see half those morons in the Habs front office lose their jobs for not recognizing they had a garbage team getting carried to the finals by a legendary goalie in his last great act.

Your understanding of Danault's role seems to be as good as Keefe's. Danault and his line had one job, to limit the damage that AM and MM could do. After game 5 Mtl sat Tatar out completely as he wasn't getting the defensive job done and replaced him with Lehkonnen/Evans who were better suited to the defensive role.

Danault's line was tasked with limiting the damage of Matthews and Marner as Mtl realized that was the key to beating the Leafs. Keefe never figured that out and adjusted. It's not like it was earth shattering, go back and watch the 2 series against the Bruins, Bergeron did the same thing. A goal prevented is as good as a goal scored.

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, lets see if Keefe has learned anything come this April.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Putting unproven young people in crucial positions is kinda the Leafs identity.

You mean Dubas?

 

[Dekes For Days]

Danault and his line had one job, to limit the damage that AM and MM could do.

And they absolutely failed at that job. That line's damage wasn't limited by anything Danault did. They got dominated in play and were outscored. The extent of the damage was only limited by Price playing amazing, some post puck luck, and Matthews playing through a surgery-requiring injury.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Your understanding of Danault's role seems to be as good as Keefe's. Danault and his line had one job, to limit the damage that AM and MM could do. After game 5 Mtl sat Tatar out completely as he wasn't getting the defensive job done and replaced him with Lehkonnen/Evans who were better suited to the defensive role.

Danault's line was tasked with limiting the damage of Matthews and Marner as Mtl realized that was the key to beating the Leafs. Keefe never figured that out and adjusted. It's not like it was earth shattering, go back and watch the 2 series against the Bruins, Bergeron did the same thing. A goal prevented is as good as a goal scored.

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it, lets see if Keefe has learned anything come this April.

End of the day, MM & AM have to produce enough excuses. It's not like every coach in the league hasn't put a plan to stop McJesus, McKinnon, OV, Crosby, etc.

Stars have to earn their dough

 

[Maple Leaf]

Coaches challenge 6/6

 

[diceman934]

Keefe sucks at in game decisions. Holl gave the puck away for the game tying goal never should have been on the ice. We were short handed and could have iced the puck...brain dead holl banks it off the boards.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

Tavares in OT and Holl on the ice with the goalie pulled.

Keefe apparently not playing for the win

 

[Dekes For Days]

Keefe apparently not playing for the win

...we won.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

...we won.

Despite the coach

 

[Dekes For Days]

Despite the coach

Or, more likely, your opinions on Tavares and Holl are just wrong.

 

[FiveHoleo]

I'm disturbed by the over use of Kampf in 3v3 overtime. He was on for the first 2 1/2 minutes and we never had the puck the entire time. I'm also disturbed that Morgan Reilly and some guy from the Marlies got a chance in the shootout before Kerfoot. Let's all try to be surprised when he's fired in the offseason and act like we wanted that all along, because its in his (our) future.

 

[Puckstuff]

Tavares-Marner-Nylander as a trio on the 3rd goal against.

Matthews, Marner, Nylander as a trio on the 4th goal against that didn't get count

I really have no idea why we are loading up lines when we're protecting a lead. When we're defending a lead we should be using our regular lines imo. I'm just not a fan of Keefe and his line usages.

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

Tavares in OT and Holl on the ice with the goalie pulled.

Keefe apparently not playing for the win

I don't see an issue with Tavares in OT or Holl with the goalie pulled. Man some of you are really reaching for no reason whatsoever.

 

[egd27]

...we won.

Thanks to his decision on the 9th player in a shootout. What a tactician.

 

[Smif]

Tavares in OT and Holl on the ice with the goalie pulled.

Keefe apparently not playing for the win

Except we won.

I'm disturbed by the over use of Kampf in 3v3 overtime. He was on for the first 2 1/2 minutes and we never had the puck the entire time. I'm also disturbed that Morgan Reilly and some guy from the Marlies got a chance in the shootout before Kerfoot. Let's all try to be surprised when he's fired in the offseason and act like we wanted that all along, because its in his (our) future.

That's not the plan with Kampf but we got hemmed in. If we win the face-off and gain possession he's right off the ice.

Tavares-Marner-Nylander as a trio on the 3rd goal against.

Matthews, Marner, Nylander as a trio on the 4th goal against that didn't get count

I really have no idea why we are loading up lines when we're protecting a lead. When we're defending a lead we should be using our regular lines imo. I'm just not a fan of Keefe and his line usages.

Where was the faceoff when they went on the ice?

 

[Mopar]

I'm predicting that the fans will be calling for this guy's head on a platter when the playoffs conclude unless this team either wins the cup or loses a very close series in the conference final. I just feel that his questionable decisions and lack of ability to outcoach his opponent will be our undoing when it's all said and done.

 

[Maple Leaf]

I don't see an issue with Tavares in OT or Holl with the goalie pulled. Man some of you are really reaching for no reason whatsoever.

Tavares is too slow for OT

Holl. I dont talk about Holl.

 

[PromisedLand]

I understand experimenting, but we should lock in an idea of what we want the lines to be relatively soon so these guys can become accustomed to their defensive partners. It feels like every other game McCabe is playing with someone new and he's only been here for 2 weeks

The forwards are a bit more difficult in this aspect since we're adding ROR + Knies towards the end of the year. Hopefully they can come in with like ~6 games or so and get some time to gel

as far as I am concernd it is pretty clear for me

Bunting-Matthews-Nylander
Jankrok-ROR-Marner
Kerfoot-Tavares-Acciari
Zar-Kampf-Lafferty

McCabe Brodie
Rielly Liljegren
Gio Schenn

Samsonov
Murray

I think Gustaffson has played pretty well so I wouldn't mind slotting him in Gio's place if need be for some offense.

I doubt if Knies will be available; if he is then dump Kerfoot to the 4th line LW; Knies takes 3rd linie LW and you scratch one of Zar/Lafferty

if ROR cannot come back soon enough to have a few games then swap JT and ROR as centers; JT takes 2C and ROR takes 3C; and then adjust accordingly as series goes on