Toronto Maple Leafs fire head coach Sheldon Keefe

The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that coach Sheldon Keefe has been fired following the end of another first-round playoff exit.

The team is currently looking for a replacement, joining the New Jersey Devils, Seattle Kraken, San Jose Sharks and Winning Jets as teams looking for a new bench boss.

Keefe had a two-year extension that had yet to kick in.

“Today’s decision was difficult,” GM Brad Treliving said in a statement. “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. We thank Sheldon for his hard work and dedication to the organization over the last nine years, and wish him and his family all the very best.”

Keefe spent five years with the club, taking over for Mike Babcock on Nov. 20, 2019. Before that, he spent four full seasons with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies before his promotion early in the 2019-20 season. Toronto was Keefe’s first NHL coaching job after leading the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds for three years. Keefe led the Marlies to a Calder Cup championship in 2018.

In his time in Toronto, Keefe led the Leafs to the team’s first playoff series victory in 19 years back in 2022-23. He started his tenure with first-round exits by Columbus, Montreal and Tampa Bay before eventually getting that series victory, but fell to the Boston Bruins in seven games earlier this month.

During his 349-game run with the Leafs, Keefe had a 212-97-40 record, which included a first-place spot in the North Division in 2020-21. His playoff record was 16-21 with a .432 win percentage over 37 games with just the one series victory to show for.

Keefe was Toronto’s 40th coach in franchise history, and the seventh in the Salary Car Era after Pat Quinn, Paul Maurice, Ron Wilson, Randy Carlyle, Peter Horachek and Babcock.

Before becoming a coach in the old CJHL in the mid-2000s, Keefe spent three years in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Drafted 47th overall by the Bolts in 1999, Keefe had 12 goals and 24 points in 125 games from 2000-03. He also spent time in the IHL and AHL before retiring after just four games with the AHL’s Utah Grizzlies in 2004-05.

Among notable coaches looking for a gig include David Quinn, Craig Berube, Dave Hakstol, Jay Woodcroft, Dean Evason and Gerard Gallant.