The Toronto Maple Leafs were able to dodge the first elimination bullet they have faced this postseason on Tuesday by beating the Boston Bruins 2-1 in overtime. That, however, doesn’t mean any of the core members of the franchise is safe from getting fired or traded away this summer.
NHL insider Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period joined Steve Kouleas and Andrew Raycroft on SiriusXM Radio on April 29, right before Game 5 between the Bruins and the Leafs, to discuss the current situation of the Canadian franchise.
The analyst thinks that if the Leafs fail to mount a comeback and advance to the second round, and perhaps even then, head coach Sheldon Keefe could be fired next summer.
“The noise has been getting louder,” Pagnotta told Kouleas. “It’s been getting louder and louder with each passing day and the future of Sheldon Keefe behind the bench is definitely in question.”
The Leafs entered Game 5 against Boston facing a 1-3 series deficit and without 69-goal scorer Auston Matthews available nursing an illness. They needed more than 60 minutes to defeat the Bruins, but they did it thanks to Matthew Knies’ overtime goal, extending the first-round series to, at least, Game 6 on Thursday, May 2.
Sheldon Keefe Might Be Coaching for His Proverbial Life
Although Pagnotta made his comments before the Leafs’ win in Game 5, that might not factor in the franchise’s decision to move on from him. That’s is because, according to Pagnotta, Toronto might fire Keefe unless the team makes it all the way to the Conference Finals.
“I think barring a trip to the Conference Finals, (nothing) is going to save his job, quite frankly,” Pagnotta said. “I think Toronto wants to make changes. I think they certainly understand that they need to make changes.
“I think there is going to be the likelihood of a change behind the bench.”
Speaking after Game 5, coach Keefe discussed his team’s effort to stay alive in the playoffs by beating the Bruins and coming back to Toronto for Game 6 where the Leafs will enjoy the home-ice advantage.
“We didn’t feel sorry for ourselves. We didn’t mail it in,” Keefe said in his postgame press conference on April 30. “I thought we did a terrific job. Tremendous effort from everybody.
“It’s going to require 60 minutes. Tonight, even more than that. The way we went out and took charge of the game and asserted ourselves early, I thought was impressive.”
Do the Leafs Have Any Alternative to Firing Coach Keefe?
In a different podcast featuring Chris Johnston and Julian McKenzie of SDPN published on April 29, the two exchanged a few thoughts about the future of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.
Johnston pointed out a very important piece of information to consider when it comes to what the Leafs might do next offseason, or rather, what the franchise will be able to do: no-movement clauses are attached to all four superstars in the Leafs’ forward corps.
According to PuckPedia’s data, all four of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander will enter next season under contracts paying them more than (at least) $10.9 million while also having no-move clauses baked into them.
That would allow them to block any trade that Toronto might want to complete. By extension, Johnston and McKenzie, similarly to what Pagnotta thinks, believe the easiest (and perhaps, lone) way to move forward for Toronto if they want to change anything is by firing head coach Keefe.
“Every one of them has no-move clauses,” Johnston told McKenzie. “So that will be a factor. Like, I don’t know how that gets navigated.”
McKenzie offered the only possible solution: “Except fire Sheldon Keefe at that point.” McKenzie added, “If all four of those guys say, ‘Hey, we’re sticking through it, we believe in this team, we think… you know what? Sheldon Keefe has to go.”
Toronto and Boston will play Game 6 on Thursday, May 2, with the Leafs hosting the Bruins in another win-or-go-home game for the Canadian franchise. Boston leads the series 3-2 entering Thursday’s matchup and will return home for a potential Game 7 if Toronto wins the May 2 contest.
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