Firing Sheldon Keefe could be the solution for the struggling Maple Leafs. He might not be the problem.
The danger of the Leafs contemplating a coaching change is that it just delays answering the perhaps more important question: Can this leadership group win as is?
There is no doubting the crucial influence former head coach Mike Babcock played in influencing coach compensation when he earned an extraordinary $50 million (U.S.) contract with the Maple Leafs over eight years in 2015.
Every NHL head coach, despite their low salaries, discreetly praised him that day, knowing that a rising tide lifts all boats.
Now, over ten years later, it is clear that the high-priced coaching contracts that have become the norm are accompanied by heightened expectations for results and scrutiny that coaches have never experienced before. They have also become more accessible targets for fan communities demanding reform.
That is especially true in a season when the Stanley Cup is up for grabs. As many as 20 teams in the league believe they have a legitimate playoff shot and are confident of winning a round or two. Sheldon Keefe’s Leafs are unquestionably one of those clubs.
But to say Toronto has had a rough week is an understatement. In the four losses in which they blew significant leads, we saw the
From the outside, it’s difficult to tell how Keefe is feeling heading into Calgary on Thursday night, or how Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and general manager Brad Treliving feel about his team’s current losing streak.
Leafs Nation may yell, “Go get Chris Tanev!” Go fetch Noah Hanifan. “Go get Jakob Chychrun!” However, it appears that fans have no concept how difficult that would be for Treliving given the scant selection pick and prospect assets handed to him by former GM Kyle Dubas.
A trade used to be the method to shake up a languishing hockey team. Not anymore. Because of wage cap constraints, coaches now find it easier to replace one person behind a bench than to trade a big player.
There is no better example of this than Edmonton, where the Leafs started their Western road trip with another disheartening defeat. After losing 10 of their first 13 games this season, the Oilers fired Jay Woodcroft and hired Kris Knoblauch, Connor McDavid’s junior hockey coach. Since then, they’ve gone 21-6, including an 11-game winning streak, with no roster changes.
Now, to all those calling for a Leafs coaching change and a similar reversal in Toronto, keep in mind that plan has failed for both the Minnesota Wild and the Ottawa Senators this season. The Senators are analytically far worse under Jacques Martin than they were with DJ.
