Toronto Maple Leafs: 2 Coaches Who Should Replace Sheldon Keefe

After another disappointing loss in the playoffs, Sheldon Keefe could be replaced as the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach.

If this is in fact the end of Sheldon Keefe’s career behind the Toronto Maple Leafs bench, it’s been a great run. Actually, it’s been a fantastic run, if you don’t include the playoff results.

Obviously the playoff losses sting, but overall, Keefe’s record has been spectacular. In 3.5 seasons, Keefe’s record is 166-71-30. In the history of this franchise, that’s the best winning percentage by any head coach, as this team has been a powerhouse throughout the regular season for the past four years.

So why would the Leafs consider firing a coach who’s been the most successful in team history? Why would they change anything if the team continues to make the playoffs year after year?

Well at the end of the day, professional sports are all about instant reaction a lot of the time. You can’t fire all of the players for losing in the playoffs, so one of the easiest fixes is to fire the coach. It’s not Sheldon Keefe’s fault that Morgan Rielly’s goal didn’t count, when it was a goal, or that Sergei Bobrovsky was unbelievable, but when you continue to lose in the playoffs, something has to give.

Personally, I don’t think firing the coach will change the outcome of how this team performs if they keep the same players, but maybe a fresh face will help. The coach is important in hockey, but this sport is so random at times, that one bad bounce can make or break a season, so it doesn’t necessarily always matter who’s behind the bench.

However, if the Leafs do fire Keefe, here are two quality replacements for the 2023-24 season.

No. 1: Gerard Gallant

Gallant never seems to last long with any franchise he coaches, despite always having immediate success. During his tenure in the NHL, he’s been to two Conference Finals and has one Stanley Cup Finals appearance.

As previously mentioned, Gallant hasn’t stayed with the same organization for very long but that shouldn’t stop the Leafs from inquiring about him. Typically known as a hard coach to play for, Gallant expects a lot out of his players, which is what makes him a fitting match in Toronto.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs started their rebuild, Mike Babcock was in-charge and lead this team to a few playoff appearances before getting fired. Babcock’s old-school mentality always had a shelf-life, but during his tenure, the team played hard and were successful.

Once the team grew thin of Babcock’s style, Keefe was brought in because the team needed more of a new-school coach and someone who could relate to the players more and that obviously worked right away too. However, after roughly four seasons and no true playoff success, it may be time to go back to another old-school thinker.

Having a tough coach to play for can be tough for the young players, but now that the core is a little older, that older-school thinking coach could help this team tremendously as they’re more mature to handle it.