Tribute Sheldon Keefe Discussion Part 2

[Menzinger]

Would actually be interested to see what Bruce Boudreau could do with this group. Not advocating for a coaching change, but that guy's always been an interesting coach with a healthy love for the Leafs and have always been curious to see it.

Im fine with Keefe, but have always liked Boudreau. Id love to get him as an assistant coach in the offseason if hes still available

 

[Menzinger]

For all the people who think Keefe's hasn't done much, he has improved pretty much every metric defensively. We are okay defensively for the most part at 5 on 5. Our PK is terrific.
What we might be starting to see is that there is a character problem in the room with the players.

Good post.

Most fans arent interested in studd like this, they ultimately just care about emd results. Which is fine, but its weird to see specific critiques of Keefe s systems when they clearly show improvements in multiple areas of play.

This teams biggest problems remain uneven goaltending and under performing 2nd tier guys in terms of offense. And neither of those is really down to coaching.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

And he had Willy, if nobody else, in full gear. Saddled next to Tavares. Everybody here, including the broadcasters and commentators begging to move him next to Matthews for a period.
Tavares stinks 3-on-3? No matter, here you go again.
Marner and Matthews no idea on the shootout? No matter, here you go again.
Power play stale and everybody has it figured out? No matter, keep throwing it out there.
He's gone from full experimental mode (Aberg 2 games on the first line, seeing how many times he could actually touch the puck, moving Engvall to center when he was flying on the wing, etc) to complete paralysis.
He's panicking under adversity, setting the tone for everybody else.

Keefe has hit the rookie wall.

 

[56 Years No Cup]

Keefe doesn’t make adjustments. It is no surprise to anyone who follows OHL hockey. The same thing happened in the OHL. When teams tightened the screws Keefe had no answers. I have seen him first hand get absolutely embarrassed in the OHL.

The Leafs are at a major disadvantage with him behind the bench. Do you think the Leafs have a chance against let’s say a team like Philly with AV and Michel Therrien? Keefe showed major flaws at the OHL level, and they’re showing up at this level, obviously. He is simply not a tactician, and all he did in the OHL was underachieve compared to their talent level. He used scare tactics as a coach in the OHL. Now in the NHL he has no idea how to deal with multi millionaires. Keefe needs to go back to the OHL, and actually accomplish something and he will maybe get another chance in the NHL later on. He is still young.. but it’s not going to work out here. He’s not ready to be a coach at this level. The Leafs need to clean house before things really go off the rails.

No one should be upset that Babcock got fired. Everyone has a shelf life, and Babs time was up. People should be upset that the HC is Sheldon Keefe. Vegas saw a clear upgrade and went for it hiring Pete Deboer. The Leafs hired Kyle Dubas’ buddy. There is one way to run an organization and there is another way.

Gallant is available.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

This system sucks.

Is there even a system?

Mindlessly stand around in the Dzone, covering no one

0 idea how to make controlled zone entry.

0 idea on how to create passing lanes in the Ozone

How can they have a system when he just gave them the weekend off? We need to work on stuff and he's giving them the weekend off...FFS!!

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Willing to give Keefe a pass. Dubas dealt him a hand A, 2,4,6,7. Have no idea what Keefe is really capable of given the team he has to work with. I am saying team. There certainly are a lot of talented individuals but Dubas has not created a cohesive unit. Hoping that Dubas and Shanahan are sent packing after Leafs early exit this year. After that, I'll give Keefe a chance with a better developed team.

Correct on Keefe. He has coached 46 games. Two 23 game segments, babcock had the first 23 games. Keefe has 1 point more the last 23 than Babcock had the first 23.

I will be watching closely the next 23 +lol

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Keefe doesn’t make adjustments. It is no surprise to anyone who follows OHL hockey. The same thing happened in the OHL. When teams tightened the screws Keefe had no answers. I have seen him first hand get absolutely embarrassed in the OHL.

The Leafs are at a major disadvantage with him behind the bench. Do you think the Leafs have a chance against let’s say a team like Philly with AV and Michel Therrien? Keefe showed major flaws at the OHL level, and they’re showing up at this level, obviously. He is simply not a tactician, and all he did in the OHL was underachieve compared to their talent level. He used scare tactics as a coach in the OHL. Now in the NHL he has no idea how to deal with multi millionaires. Keefe needs to go back to the OHL, and actually accomplish something and he will maybe get another chance in the NHL later on. He is still young.. but it’s not going to work out here. He’s not ready to be a coach at this level. The Leafs need to clean house before things really go off the rails.

No one should be upset that Babcock got fired. Everyone has a shelf life, and Babs time was up. People should be upset that the HC is Sheldon Keefe. Vegas saw a clear upgrade and went for it hiring Pete Deboer. The Leafs hired Kyle Dubas’ buddy. There is one way to run an organization and there is another way.

Bad post lol

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Gallant is available.

Yeah just go pick him up on the corner

 

[Egghead1999]

Good post.

Most fans arent interested in studd like this, they ultimately just care about emd results. Which is fine, but its weird to see specific critiques of Keefe s systems when they clearly show improvements in multiple areas of play.

This teams biggest problems remain uneven goaltending and under performing 2nd tier guys in terms of offense. And neither of those is really down to coaching.

C'mon, did you watch the game lately?
2nd tier guys and goaltending were not biggest problems. The biggest problem for this team now is PP (5 on 5 to some extent); the leafs' multi-millionaires can not put the puck in the net

 

[ruaware41]

For all the people who think Keefe's hasn't done much, he has improved pretty much every metric defensively. We are okay defensively for the most part at 5 on 5. Our PK is terrific.
What we might be starting to see is that there is a character problem in the room with the players.

those stats show that they are totally average 5v5 defensively

 

[Pookie]

Keefe is not largely responsible for this slump.

Just as he was not largely responsible for the hot streak.

This is and has always been largely on the players.

 

[Pookie]

As an old timer, I've seen this scenario before with the Leafs and elsewhere in the league and other leagues. It's too comfortable, too player friendly here now. There are no expectations of higher levels of professionalism any longer. The group is so fricking talented that they're producing somewhat, far below potential, on sheer skill metered out in timely bursts. The closest thing to this is the decade of uneven hockey produced by the Caps lead by Ovechkin.

Shanahan knew this as well. He brought in Babcock for a reason. And it wasn’t for his understanding of a left wing lock.

The country club atmosphere was alive and well. Senior execs went to the police regarding coke and coke influences around the team. Leafs exec met with police to discuss cocaine use

As happens, the players got control. They got paid. They received long term contracts. Young and inexperienced and incredibly rich players became the core.

They quit on the coach. Complained.

Coach gets fired.

New guy comes in, lets them loose. Goals go up. Stats go up. Bonuses get earned.

Yet other teams want a Cup. They trap. They hit. The make it tough. They adapt.

And at the country club version 2.0, the complacent don’t care.

And there is no one to hold them to account.

A difficult shake up will be in order if this thing ends up outside of the playoffs. Not a Kerfoot or Barrie.

Will the rookie GM be able to trade a Matthews, Marner, Tavares or Nylander for the sake of the team?

 

[cesareborgia]

Keefe is a beer league coach. He's in way over his head.

It's to be expected with wonder boy at the helm.

 

[Pookie]

Good post.

Most fans arent interested in studd like this, they ultimately just care about emd results. Which is fine, but its weird to see specific critiques of Keefe s systems when they clearly show improvements in multiple areas of play.

This teams biggest problems remain uneven goaltending and under performing 2nd tier guys in terms of offense. And neither of those is really down to coaching.

I don’t think it’s weird to see critique of specific systems.

I think it’s weird that guys who praised Keefe’s systems when they were winning, now don’t want to discuss them when they are losing.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Im fine with Keefe, but have always liked Boudreau. Id love to get him as an assistant coach in the offseason if hes still available

I don't think it's realistic that a coach with Boudreau's resume takes a job as an assistant, especially to a rookie coach.

Boudreau as head coach, now that's another story, would love to see that happen.

 

[Gary Nylund]

those stats show that they are totally average 5v5 defensively

Yup, a big improvements over last season.

 

[ACC1224]

I don't think it's realistic that a coach with Boudreau's resume takes a job as an assistant, especially to a rookie coach.

Boudreau as head coach, now that's another story, would love to see that happen.

Agreed, you can't have a long tenured coach as an assistant to a rookie coach.
I was never comfortable with the rookies taking over but there is still time for them to be successful.
For better or worse this tandem isn't going anywhere soon.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Agreed, you can't have a long tenured coach as an assistant to a rookie coach.
I was never comfortable with the rookies taking over but there is still time for them to be successful.
For better or worse this tandem isn't going anywhere soon.

I'm not 100% sure but wasn't Keefe hired as an interim coach? If so then hiring Boudreau should be possible and it's no insult to Keefe either when again, Boudreau's resume is considered.

 

[ACC1224]

I'm not 100% sure but wasn't Keefe hired as an interim coach? If so then hiring Boudreau should be possible and it's no insult to Keefe either when again, Boudreau's resume is considered.

2022. Interim would have made more sense, especially with all the top end coaches who will be/are available.
Gerard Gallant would be my first choice.

Maple Leafs sign new coach Sheldon Keefe through 2022 - Sportsnet.ca

 

[YearsintheWilderness]

During the hot streak after Keefe was hired, the players were told in no uncertain terms that they were primadonnas and should act accordingly.

Practices? Let's make 'em optional! After all, Babcock was a nasty piece of work holding back these talented geniuses. All they've got to do is step on the ice and their superior speed and skill will take them right to the top.

Game-day skates? Optional as well!

Wonder what will come out when the herd-mentality local media finally turns on Keefe?

Side note on Keefe: seems to say "WTF?" a lot during games...

 

[JT AM da real deal]

The lines as constructed do not have enough strong skaters to break through the neutral zone traps on west coast swing. You can't pass through 4 guys between red line and blue line. Not going to happen.

Against trapping teams go with Hyman Willy Kappy every 2nd shift until they break through and score a couple then bring normal lines back together after we got the lead with trappers have to try to score goals again.

Put the non skater passer boys of Tavares Matty and Marner on together. They will do nothing against the trap so best to have them on together. Other teams might be stupid enough to throw their best defenders on them to free up Willy.

Here is some free advice Keefe. It will work. Against tampa it is not required because they feel they can just outskate and outskill us.

 

[Mess]

2022. Interim would have made more sense, especially with all the top end coaches who will be/are available.
Gerard Gallant would be my first choice.

Maple Leafs sign new coach Sheldon Keefe through 2022 - Sportsnet.ca

Interim coach would have made toooo much sense here with a rookie NHL coach with zero games experience. Unfortunately that move would have required a veteran GM to make that proper decision.

Keefe's record in 2020 from Jan 1st - present in 28 games is 13-11-4 which is hovering just a little above .500 (.536 points %) = 88 point pace on a full season.

Leafs went from a veteran GM and veteran Coach and a Franchise best 105 points, to likely the youngest/inexperienced GM & Coach combo in the NHL, so it shouldn't really be that much of overall surprise the team results are declining, and inexperience in management a major reason.

Growing pains.

 

[unitedstars87]

Keefe is a beer league coach. He's in way over his head.

It's to be expected with wonder boy at the helm.

Great take. Took a team that was floundering and now in a playoff spot at the moment.

 

[Duffman955]

Can we still get Gallant or someone in the offseason.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Keefe is not largely responsible for this slump.

Just as he was not largely responsible for the hot streak.

This is and has always been largely on the players.

Well I don’t know bro. That over use of a figured out system of back peddling the puck is likely hitting a bad nerve on more than myself. Its destructive to our teams skating game. Who likes it might be a good poll on a yes or no context.

flaws in coaching style can be adjusted in a handful of practices. Then kind of mix it up as the particular game dictates. The players need to recognize it also in fairness. So i agree with you also to a degree.

I just hope it works out in time here