Sheldon Keefe, coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs Fire, says, "A New Voice is Needed."

Sheldon Keefe was relieved of his coaching responsibilities by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.

Five days have passed since the Maple Leafs' seven-game first-round series loss to the Boston Bruins.
Leafs general manager Brad Treliving stated in a press release that "today's decision was difficult." Sheldon is a fantastic coach and a kind man, but we came to the conclusion that the squad needs a fresh perspective to persevere and accomplish our ultimate objective. We appreciate Sheldon's nine years of hard work and dedication to the organization, and we send our best wishes to him and his family.

The search is on for Keefe's replacement right now.
After Mike Babcock was fired in November 2019, Keefe was elevated to the position of head coach. He's had a 212-97-40 record since then, split across five seasons. In the playoffs, the Brampton, Ontario, native, 43, has a 16–21 record.

Under Keefe, the Maple Leafs finished top in the North Division in the 2020–21 COVID–19 season and second in the Atlantic Division twice, giving them home-ice advantage in the opening round of three of their five postseasons.

The Leafs have qualified for the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons, but during that time, they have only won one series. It was the previous season, and they won six games against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The fans of the Leafs experienced a fleeting sense of relief as the team was ousted in five games by the Florida Panthers.

At the season-ending news conference on Monday, Keefe said to the media, "We're in the results business here, and we didn't get results, and we haven't met expectations – and as a head coach, I take responsibility for that."

"I accept responsibility for not meeting results," Keefe stated. "I have a strong belief in myself. I have a great time leading the Toronto Maple Leafs. I have more confidence in myself and our team than ever before, and I know that we will succeed together.

Decisions regarding the remaining members of the coaching staff will be made after the squad finds its new head coach.

On Friday, Treliving, team president Brendan Shanahan, and CEO Keith Pelley of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment are scheduled to address the media.