Sheldon Keefe has been fired as the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs after another early playoff exit.
The Maple Leafs announced the decision on Thursday, five days after the team was eliminated from the playoffs in a Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins. This marked the fourth time in Keefe’s five postseasons as head coach that the Leafs failed to advance beyond the first round.
Despite strong regular season performances under Keefe, including three consecutive 100-point seasons and a franchise-record 115 points in 2021-22, the team’s inability to find playoff success ultimately led to his dismissal.
In a statement, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said “Today’s decision was difficult. Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man; however, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal.”
Keefe, who had been with the organization since 2015 and took over as head coach in November 2019, acknowledged in his own statement that he “didn’t get it done in the playoffs” and accepted responsibility for the team’s lack of postseason success.
The Maple Leafs will now begin the search for a new head coach, with decisions on the rest of the coaching staff to follow. This marks the 19th coaching change in the NHL since the end of the 2022-23 season.