Maple Leafs fire Sheldon Keefe after first-round exit

The Toronto Maple Leafs fired coach Sheldon Keefe on Thursday, just five days after an overtime loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The organization said it would begin the search for its next head coach immediately, with an announcement about the futures of the rest of the coaching staff to follow.

"Today's decision was difficult," Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said in a news release. "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, a 43-year-old Ontario native, leaves Toronto with a 212-97-40 record (.665) in 349 regular-season games since taking over in November 2019 after Mike Babcock was relieved of his duties.

His winning percentage (.432) in the postseason wasn't as good, with the Maple Leafs qualifying for the playoffs each season under Keefe but going 16-21. Toronto advanced out of the first round only once in his tenure, losing in the second round last spring, despite three 100-point seasons.

This season, the Maple Leafs totaled 102 points, finishing third in the Atlantic Division with a 46-26-10 record.

Toronto has not won the Stanley Cup since the 1966-67 season.

Keefe was the head coach of the club's American Hockey League team, the Toronto Marlies, for five seasons before moving to the Maple Leafs' bench.

In the series with the Bruins, the Leafs were just 1-for-21 on the power play -- a 4.8 percent conversion rate compared to 23.95 percent in the regular season. They averaged 3.63 goals per game in the regular season but scored just 12 times in seven games in the first round (1.71 goals average).

"We're in the results business here, and we didn't get results," Keefe said Monday. "We haven't met expectations, and as head coach I take responsibility for that."

Keefe became the 11th coach to be fired this season. In addition, Rick Bowness retired Monday, leaving the Winnipeg Jets.