Confirmed with Link: Sheldon Keefe Fired -- Discussion Thread

[Arzak]

You're going to be awfully disappointed in the return for Marner if those are your expectations.

Wright and a draft pick would quite frankly be overpayment for a guy with an NTC and 1 yr left

Sold

I liked Keefe, sucks to see him lose his job

He is a good person and when he speaks, very likeable. When he coaches, It's Galaxy Brain Keefe. I like his post season pressers. He also had to go.

 

[Amadeus]

My top 2 choices are Craig Berube and Claude Julien, with Claude number 1 for me.

I think Claude laid the defensive fundamentals and identity for the Bruins and was well liked as a player. He can be a great coach for us who can have us play a playoff style right from the regular season which is a style we should adapt.

Heavy forecheck style hockey is what we need!

 

[Clark4Ever]

Impossible, they said they’ll be looking at all options and not just hiring a guy they’ve had in their back pocket for months after not bothering to interview anyone else like they did with the GM search.

I don't know...if Berube is the consensus best candidate available, I think they need to act quickly. He has other options available.

 

[darrylsittler27]

If it's just Berube and the same core, people should just cancel their TSN and SN subscriptions in the fall. Had enough of this BS.

Yeah, they are pulling a shady. The coach becomes the fall guy for weak backend. Rinse and repeat. Berube won't win the Leafs a cup. Look at the East, Toronto isn't currently even close. No goalie, same results.

Between 2018-2023 Schenn was signed for between $700K and $850K a season. Won a couple cups.
THEN Nashville offers him $2.75 x 3 at 34 years old out of the blue. Call it the Toronto tax...

Yeah but they over paid.

 

[Racer88]

Does it make you angry that he never did it here in 5 seasons or for some other reason?

The same people that are happy that Keefe is gone because he didn't get results wanted us to keep Hyman even though he didn't get results.

I think the reason Hyman didn’t do it here is because he was basically a grunt on the first line. Go in the corner, dig the puck out and make sure you get it to Marner or Matthews. In my humble opinion he was rarely given equal opportunity other then most fans who admired hard working players

 

[Martin Skoula]

I don't know...if Berube is the consensus best candidate available, I think they need to act quickly. He has other options available.

The best candidate without a contract is still in the middle of a series right now. Berube might be one of the best out of the list of currently unemployed coaches without public baggage, I can’t see how anyone would think he’s flat out the best coach on the market though.

I wouldn’t mind Berube that much but I don’t think he’s the calibre of guy that you 100% need to land before someone else beats you to it, if he goes to Jersey or wherever else and they don’t take a major step that’s probably his last head coach job for a while. Meanwhile in Toronto he just has to tread water for 2-3 years and he’ll continue to be highly paid either as a coach or a TV guy.

 

[Zybalto]

Berube's story:

The year the Blues won it, coach Yeo had a good team but the goaltending was awful. The Blues go 7-9-3 and he gets the axe. Berube takes over and goes 9-9-1 amidst infighting on a team that looks like it is about to be blown up. With the team drifting in and out of last place in the league, and the season looking lost, the GM calls up an AHL goalie thats tearing up the league down there named Jordan Binnington to play down the stretch to groom him to takeover the club the next season. The team then goes 29-10-5 (best record over that stretch), makes the playoffs, and Binnington carries them to a cup.

The Blues under Berube did well the following year but as Binningtons play (and sanity) slowly slipped away, so did Berube magical coaching powers.

Not all that impressed really but who knows? Coaches can also fit different teams in different ways.

 

[Evilhomer]

Impossible, they said they’ll be looking at all options and not just hiring a guy they’ve had in their back pocket for months after not bothering to interview anyone else like they did with the GM search.

It would be a shocking turn of events for the Leafs to simply hire the most popular name out there because fans will think it's a great idea. I would love for these morons to say "we aren't in any rush. We want to find the right person, and that necessarily entails speaking with many people with varied levels of experience". Instead, they'll just introduce Berube on Tuesday.

 

[Tak7]

My top 2 choices are Craig Berube and Claude Julien, with Claude number 1 for me.

I think Claude laid the defensive fundamentals and identity for the Bruins and was well liked as a player. He can be a great coach for us who can have us play a playoff style right from the regular season which is a style we should adapt.

Heavy forecheck style hockey is what we need!

Not only has Julien not coached in 3 years, but in that same period he's barely been linked heavily with any vacancies around the league.

Insane that he'd be number 1 on anyone's list, respectfully.

 

[McSnypsky]

reading the media, it's all but a done deal, Berube will be the next coach. So what does he bring?

 

[Zybalto]

Dean Evanson had a career .639 points% as a coach with the Wild. Cooper has a .640 points% as coach of the Lightining.

I'd kinda like to see what Evason could do with some superstars.

 

[The Masters]

I dont know who is in charge we will see tomorrow but the Leafs need to go big name hunting

I wouldn't rush this process at all and I dont think they are going to for a guy like Berube. If NJ wants to hire him, let them

 

[Clark4Ever]

Berube's story:

The year the Blues won it, coach Yeo had a good team but the goaltending was awful. The Blues go 7-9-3 and he gets the axe. Berube takes over and goes 9-9-1 amidst infighting on a team that looks like it is about to be blown up. With the team drifting in and out of last place in the league, and the season looking lost, the GM calls up an AHL goalie thats tearing up the league down there named Jordan Binnington to play down the stretch to groom him to takeover the club the next season. The team then goes 29-10-5 (best record over that stretch), makes the playoffs, and Binnington carries them to a cup.

The Blues under Berube did well the following year but as Binningtons play (and sanity) slowly slipped away, so did Berube magical coaching powers.

Not all that impressed really but who knows? Coaches can also fit different teams in different ways.

In fairness, strong goaltending is crucial to any coach's successful track record with an organization, especially in the playoffs.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Finally, I won't have to make fire Keefe posts!

Good guy but that doesn't mean much when you do nothing in the playoffs. The team is going to get a new voice and that will be a step in the right direction but it's important to make the right hire. Berube and Gallant are interesting names. I wouldn't go anywhere near a Woodcroft or McLellan.

I would check out the Brind'Amour situation too. Maybe reach out to his agent and see whether or not he's intrigued by the opportunity.

Let's just hope this is not a one-step solution for the Leafs management. A simple coaching change is not enough.

 

[Torontonian]

In fairness, strong goaltending is crucial to any coach's successful track record with an organization, especially in the playoffs.

Goaltending is so hit or miss in the playoffs.. Vassy had been mediocre in the playoffs against us, and then this year, Hellebyck was garbage in the playoffs after a stellar season.

 

[Captain Crunch]

I don't believe that they would know that.

Yes, you could be right.

 

[Tak7]

reading the media, it's all but a done deal, Berube will be the next coach. So what does he bring?

A TikTok clip of him using a few F-bombs before a hockey game five years ago.

 

[Zybalto]

In fairness, strong goaltending is crucial to any coach's successful track record with an organization, especially in the playoffs.

I've been saying it for half a decade now.

We've ran Campbell and Samsonov as our starting goalies in the playoffs the last 4 times now. One isnt even good enough for the NHL and the other was trounced out of the league this season and has been pulled in both playoff runs hes had.

The Leafs problems in the playoffs:

1. Goaltending
b
i
g

g
a
p
(Everything else)

Every series we've lost for years you can play the game of flip the goalies and we win. The team even reverts to a more scared and conservative playstyle as they know they dont have a solid guy back there.

I'm still losing my mind that we didnt trade for Saros when he was available earlier in the year.

 

[McSnypsky]

hmmm abundant f-bomb usage... i assume this will help score goals

 

[Zybalto]

Goaltending is so hit or miss in the playoffs.. Vassy had been mediocre in the playoffs against us, and then this year, Hellebyck was garbage in the playoffs after a stellar season.

Fell like Vasy has fallen off quite a bit since his heyday and is pretty inconsistent now. Still the most clutch goaltender of the last decade though.

 

[notbias]

I think the reason Hyman didn’t do it here is because he was basically a grunt on the first line. Go in the corner, dig the puck out and make sure you get it to Marner or Matthews. In my humble opinion he was rarely given equal opportunity other then most fans who admired hard working players

He had plenty of chances, just couldn't convert.

He also has the same rates of takeaways and hits here as he does in Edmonton, which I think is a good metric to see how much grunt work he is doing.

I don't think this is the issue.

I think more than likely, McDavid just opens up a ton of space and then can find Hyman when there is just a little bit of space.

 

[Leafsfan74]

The best candidate without a contract is still in the middle of a series right now. Berube might be one of the best out of the list of currently unemployed coaches without public baggage, I can’t see how anyone would think he’s flat out the best coach on the market though.

I wouldn’t mind Berube that much but I don’t think he’s the calibre of guy that you 100% need to land before someone else beats you to it, if he goes to Jersey or wherever else and they don’t take a major step that’s probably his last head coach job for a while. Meanwhile in Toronto he just has to tread water for 2-3 years and he’ll continue to be highly paid either as a coach or a TV guy.

Yeah I'd prefer Brindamour. I secretly wish for Torts though lol. This franchise could use a shake up like that.

 

[Gallagbi]

So what's the weight limit or BMI on the new guy? I know some of you were very concerned about that

 

[NinjaKick]

I think they gotta clear out the entire staff. Maybe you keep Mike Van Ryn?

My guess?

Craig Berube and Bruce Beaudreau are coming in. Beaudreau will run the PP.

 

[Evilhomer]

reading the media, it's all but a done deal, Berube will be the next coach. So what does he bring?

He has a cool nickname and he looks like he can get really angry.