I mean, not terribly shocking. Otherwise you end up with the « I just got here » schtick of Toronto bringing in coaches and GMs separately. I don’t think he’s earned being fired and the vitriol toward him is disgusting. Wouldn’t be surprised if he does end up being let go though
Ashi4Days
Maybe it’s just my spotty memory but it does seem like the team has been playing much better recently? I know the odds of us are making it into the playoffs are astronomical. But if we finish hard, Keefe might still be ok.
falaris
Well why wouldn’t he be – this organization failed massively. Everyone needs to at least be *evaluated*. I’d be pissed if he wasn’t.
Finnegan7921
.885 SV% from the 6 million per season goalie. Nobody is winning with that.
TinyHatsSuck
What if we got ROY
gwords16
I’m indifferent on Keefe but they need to cut him loose. If you’re going with a new GM then you need one of their guys that they hire. Nothing good ever happens when you fire a GM and then keep a coach. You need some form of synchronicity between the two of them.
shany94a
Of course he will
crazyFlyingChicken
Keefe is a great coach; he developed guys like Jack and Bratt into legit PKers. I don’t know if he’s the right coach here though, how he’s coached us to approach the defensive zone is painful to watch and we can’t be a team that only has offense when a healthy Jack is in the lineup. Ownership gonna have to determine if that’s because he’s been doing the best with what Fitz has given him or if a different coach could unlock more out of our guys
mooseknucklemaster
Two schools of thought.
1 is buying into the theory Fitz was puppet master as far as the systems instilled and deployed post-Hughes injury to pre-Olympics, and afterwards Fitz gave the reins back to Keefe, and that’s why the team looks better and they’re performing with more fire.
2 is that Keefe cannot consistently get the most out of the players and the Olympics was more or less a spark for those guys that went, and provided a boost to those around them (rising tides raising all ships etc), and the season’s failures are on his shoulders as much as Fitz’s.
End of a season that fell short so everybody should be under evaluation for what went wrong: players, coaches, etc. That being said, I feel Keefe deserves at least the beginning of next season. He had the team on a hot start this year and they’re closing with strong momentum, I’d want to see how he does post-Fitz.
ElephantRedCar91
TheNightRain68
The right approach. New GM should make the call on Keefe
cabutler03
Unless Keefe can pull off a miracle it’s unlikely he’ll be kept. Assuming he does not return, who would be a good replacement option?
brmgp1
I am not a fan of Keefe’s but that sucks lol. Coaches should always be under evaluation, especially going into year 3 with no real results, it should not be surprising.
ferfi17
I’m on the fence about Keefe. The team started great, went off in the middle and are now back to playing good again. Is that all on Keefe or was Fitz poss my over stepping? Idk.
poHATEoes
Say what you want about the goaltending but how many games did we get shutout or only manage to score 1-2 goals?
We went from 3rd in the NHL for scoring then for two consecutive seasons plummeted to the basement is on the coaching and the systems they use…
The goaltending has been miserable but so has our defense and so has our offense.
TyeZerker
He will get next year and if he goes bad he gone. either way i just want Woodcroft. Just like Keefe got to stay 1 year with Trevling.
pretzelogically
No news here folks, of course the new GM needs to hire his own guy or essentially “rehire” the old coach/coaches. Just common sense.
paisano74
I think it’s entirely possible Keefe gets a final year with the new GM. It is also just as possible he doesn’t, but I believe I read a comment from him saying he wanted to try and coach the system the GM wanted. If that’s the case the answer on part or most of your problem was fits. Beginning and end of this season vs the middle are 2 different teams entirely.
blade430
I think if Keefe is fired, it wouldn’t be a surprise to me. 32nd in the league at 5v5 for the 2025 calendar year. Arguably the worst 5v5 offense in the league prior to the break, with only a middling D to back it up. 7-15-2 against the metro this year. You just can’t have those results as a coach.
TheBigMotherFook
My guess is he gets canned unless they somehow make the playoffs. It’d honestly be a good time to clean house and salvage what’s left of this core group of players. If they can get Mehta and Cassidy I think the team will be in a good spot.
Someguybri
Thought this was a Sheldon Keefe fired thread after I saw the F after his name lol.
muevelos
So water is wet? Coaches are always under some type of evaluation at years end.
bivo979
So…are they giving him a 2 week notice? Perhaps, fired on his day off?
28 Comments
Shell-done Queef. (It’s a slow Tuesday.)
If not Keefe, then who?
Third coach to be fired due to player mediocrity
Coaches should always be under evaluation.
Sheldon Keefe, pack your shit
I mean, not terribly shocking. Otherwise you end up with the « I just got here » schtick of Toronto bringing in coaches and GMs separately. I don’t think he’s earned being fired and the vitriol toward him is disgusting. Wouldn’t be surprised if he does end up being let go though
Maybe it’s just my spotty memory but it does seem like the team has been playing much better recently? I know the odds of us are making it into the playoffs are astronomical. But if we finish hard, Keefe might still be ok.
Well why wouldn’t he be – this organization failed massively. Everyone needs to at least be *evaluated*. I’d be pissed if he wasn’t.
.885 SV% from the 6 million per season goalie. Nobody is winning with that.
What if we got ROY
I’m indifferent on Keefe but they need to cut him loose. If you’re going with a new GM then you need one of their guys that they hire. Nothing good ever happens when you fire a GM and then keep a coach. You need some form of synchronicity between the two of them.
Of course he will
Keefe is a great coach; he developed guys like Jack and Bratt into legit PKers. I don’t know if he’s the right coach here though, how he’s coached us to approach the defensive zone is painful to watch and we can’t be a team that only has offense when a healthy Jack is in the lineup. Ownership gonna have to determine if that’s because he’s been doing the best with what Fitz has given him or if a different coach could unlock more out of our guys
Two schools of thought.
1 is buying into the theory Fitz was puppet master as far as the systems instilled and deployed post-Hughes injury to pre-Olympics, and afterwards Fitz gave the reins back to Keefe, and that’s why the team looks better and they’re performing with more fire.
2 is that Keefe cannot consistently get the most out of the players and the Olympics was more or less a spark for those guys that went, and provided a boost to those around them (rising tides raising all ships etc), and the season’s failures are on his shoulders as much as Fitz’s.
End of a season that fell short so everybody should be under evaluation for what went wrong: players, coaches, etc. That being said, I feel Keefe deserves at least the beginning of next season. He had the team on a hot start this year and they’re closing with strong momentum, I’d want to see how he does post-Fitz.
The right approach. New GM should make the call on Keefe
Unless Keefe can pull off a miracle it’s unlikely he’ll be kept. Assuming he does not return, who would be a good replacement option?
I am not a fan of Keefe’s but that sucks lol. Coaches should always be under evaluation, especially going into year 3 with no real results, it should not be surprising.
I’m on the fence about Keefe. The team started great, went off in the middle and are now back to playing good again. Is that all on Keefe or was Fitz poss my over stepping? Idk.
Say what you want about the goaltending but how many games did we get shutout or only manage to score 1-2 goals?
We went from 3rd in the NHL for scoring then for two consecutive seasons plummeted to the basement is on the coaching and the systems they use…
The goaltending has been miserable but so has our defense and so has our offense.
He will get next year and if he goes bad he gone. either way i just want Woodcroft. Just like Keefe got to stay 1 year with Trevling.
No news here folks, of course the new GM needs to hire his own guy or essentially “rehire” the old coach/coaches. Just common sense.
I think it’s entirely possible Keefe gets a final year with the new GM. It is also just as possible he doesn’t, but I believe I read a comment from him saying he wanted to try and coach the system the GM wanted. If that’s the case the answer on part or most of your problem was fits. Beginning and end of this season vs the middle are 2 different teams entirely.
I think if Keefe is fired, it wouldn’t be a surprise to me. 32nd in the league at 5v5 for the 2025 calendar year. Arguably the worst 5v5 offense in the league prior to the break, with only a middling D to back it up. 7-15-2 against the metro this year. You just can’t have those results as a coach.
My guess is he gets canned unless they somehow make the playoffs. It’d honestly be a good time to clean house and salvage what’s left of this core group of players. If they can get Mehta and Cassidy I think the team will be in a good spot.
Thought this was a Sheldon Keefe fired thread after I saw the F after his name lol.
So water is wet? Coaches are always under some type of evaluation at years end.
So…are they giving him a 2 week notice? Perhaps, fired on his day off?