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Exclusive: Toronto Maple Leafs’ New Coach Vows to Hold Star Players Accountable
The Maple Leafs made a simple and practical choice by firing Sheldon Keefe. The future coach of the Leafs must be a well-respected somebody who can hold the team’s players more responsible.
Sheldon Keefe’s dismissal as head coach was the first domino to fall during the Toronto Maple Leafs summer. After their most recent postseason collapse, it was the team’s most straightforward and practical decision.
Keefe sent the team, the players, and the supporters a tasteful farewell via video. In it, he accepted responsibility once more for the Leafs’ failure to advance past the first round in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, he was unable to persuade a few of his old teammates to follow suit. After the Boston Bruins defeated the Leafs in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the players who took responsibility for yet another postseason disappointment were few and far between during the team’s most recent media availability.
A recurring theme under Brendan Shanahan’s leadership has been the team’s fear of asking for more from its best players, particularly when Lou Lamoriello was let go. The new head coach of the Leafs’ primary responsibility must be to hold their best players more accountable.
The Toronto Maple Leafs’ new coach must place a high priority on holding star players accountable. Whatever your thoughts about Lamoriello’s antiquated methods, the structure, discipline, and “one-for-all, we’re all equal” mentality serve a purpose.
That was absent from both the beginning of Brad Treliving’s tenure as general manager and Kyle Dubas’s tenure. The most recent evidence was presented to the media during the Leafs’ exit interviews.
The only two players who openly acknowledged their need for improvement were Ilya Samsonov and Morgan Rielly, the player with the longest contract on the team.
Yes, there was no denying the effectiveness of a number of players against Boston, including Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Jake McCabe, and Joseph Woll.
A polite suggestion of improvement (from those who spoke to the media) would help ease the anguish of the Leafs supporters, even if they didn’t feel the need to change.
Still, this should come as no surprise. Since Lamoriello left town, the strategy has been to calm player egos and adopt a mild (some could even say coddling) approach.
Other Teams Aren’t Afraid to Spot Their Top Players
Boston coach Jim Montgomery told the reporters that he needed more from his finest player, David Pastrnak, following the Bruins’ Game 6 loss to the Leafs.
Conversely, Keefe did not question Mitch Marner’s lack of offensive production or demand more from him; instead, he lauded Marner for his defensive work. Was Keefe concerned about hurting the pride of his player? The Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper has never shied away from pushing his finest players to give more. Even so, he benched them.
Two titles won by that core group of players is evidence that holding people accountable is effective. Keefe would frequently retract his remarks when he was upset with his finest players. His description of something as “soft and purposeless” is among the more noteworthy ones.
Mike Babcock made an effort to instill greater responsibility in his players, despite his dubious motivational strategies. He was fired and the players ceased playing for him. When a coach calls out a strong-willed, determined player and asks for more, that player should feel even more motivated.
Additionally, they must be capable of taking constructive, in-public, and well-founded criticism from their bench boss. The next coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs must be a well-respected somebody who inspires respect in the players. For the best chance of success, they require this kind of coach.
