Toronto Maple Leafs Lose 4th In a Row as Ducks Stage Comeback

The Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t fire Sheldon Keefe ahead of Sunday’s game against Anaheim, and at the time of this writing, he was still the coach.

Will the Toronto Maple Leafs have a new coach Wednesday when they play the Flyers?

I haven’t heard the GM publicly endorse the coach yet, which is usually step one of the coach getting fired, so it seems unlikely, but at this point, who knows?

There are historically very few trades to be made at the beginning of the NHL season, and the Leafs don’t have many options other than wait it out.

The Leafs lost the Sharks and then played a garbage opening period vs LA.

On Sunday, they couldn’t close out a two goal lead against the worst team in the NHL.

Wait – is the worst team in the NHL Anaheim, Montreal, Arizona or San Jose?   Does it matter? They all beat the Leafs!

It’s not Keefe’s fault. It is just the situation.  The team assembled was good enough to win and they didn’t.  His coaching wasn’t the problem, but it also hasn’t been the answer.

Toronto Maple Leafs Alex Kerfoot Has Unluckiest Game of His Life

Losing four games in a row is never fun, but Alex Kerfoot especially had a rough game.

First, he appeared to be celebrating a goal that did not go in, which he personally could have scored if he had of just kept his stick on the ice. It was the hockey equivalent of a professional guitar player failing to produce the riff of Smoke on the Water. 

A lot of people are going to say this play embodies everything wrong with this team, and for once, I think I agree with them.

Then he missed a penalty shot.

Then his man beats him on an offensive zone faceoff for a nearly uncontested 175 ft play down the ice for a goal.  It was a sick goal, and Trevor Zegras is awesome, but that can’t happen.

Kerfoot did have a great assist on the PK, and actually I thought he was pretty good out there for most of the night, but the three most memorable plays from the game all involve him.

The Leafs just lost again and they blew a two goal lead to one of the worst teams in the league.  Then again, it was the end of a long trip, back-to-back, Kallgren was in net and, as with pretty much every other game they’ve played this year, they probably could have won it with just a bounce here or there.

This is clearly a team that is on the verge of something, but could also be a team that needs a spark.