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Shanahan, Marner, Keefe and other Leafs thoughts after another letdown
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# Thoughts on the futures of Shanahan, Marner, Keefe and other Maple
Leafs following another early exit
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Published May 07, 2024 • Last updated May 07, 2024 • 4 minute read
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From left: Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, winger Mitch Marner
and coach Sheldon Keefe. Postmedia images
## Article content
_Some Maple Leafs thoughts, a day after Sheldon Keefe stood his
ground, the players bore the brunt from another early exit from the
Stanley Cup playoffs and general manager Brad Treliving was nowhere to
be seen._
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### **END THE SHANAPLAN**
Article content
Considering that president Brendan Shanahan will be part of the front-
office triumvirate scheduled to meet with media on Friday morning,
along with new MLSE CEO and president Keith Pelley and Treliving, it
seems to be an indication that Shanahan isn't going anywhere, though
we won't know with certainty for a few more days.
We'll be curious to hear why Pelley is retaining Shanahan — if that is
going to happen — in whatever role it might be.
Ten years and one playoff round win shouldn't cut it anywhere, let
alone in a city that's often referred to as the hockey Mecca.
Shanahan has had more than enough time to get it right and has failed.
He has gone down two distinctive roads — one with experience in GM Lou
Lamoriello and coach Mike Babcock, and one with inexperience with GM
Kyle Dubas and coach Sheldon Keefe — and neither worked.
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And to think that when Shanahan took over in April 2014, a club that
quickly became a story of NHL success didn't exist. Yet as Shanahan
has constructed a team that has won one round in a decade, the Vegas
Golden Knights have won 11 playoff rounds, capped by their Cup win
last year.
Enough is enough, isn't it?
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### **ASK MARNER TO WAIVE**
At the least, Treliving should ask Mitch Marner, and agent Darren
Ferris, whether the player would have any interest in waiving his no-
move clause.
Extensions for Auston Matthews (four years) and William Nylander
(eight years) begin in 2024-25. Neither is going anywhere.
This core has had its chance. The outlook would be different if the
Leafs had won a round or two in each of the past several years, which
would have served as actual proof that they were close to breaking
through and winning a Cup.
Newsflash: A team that continuously goes out in the first round, with
one exception a year ago, is not a Cup contender. The Leafs are
knocking on no Cup doors.
There's no denying Marner's talent. He's one of the best hockey
players on the planet. Yet his performance in the first round was
underwhelming and not close to what a leader should provide.
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The Leafs need a No. 1 defenceman. Explore whether you can use Marner
to get that sort of player in a trade and, if not, use at least some
of what would have been Marner's money in the summer of 2025 to sign a
D-man.
Victor Hedman, Aaron Ekblad, Jaccob Slavin and Shea Theodore, as of
today, are among those slated to be unrestricted a year from now.
This summer, two players Treliving tried to acquire during the season
— Nikita Zadorov and Chris Tanev — will be unrestricted.
We're spit-balling, but you get the point. A large blue-line upgrade
is required. And we acknowledge that Marner, with his no-move, is in
control here.
As the Leafs go now, it's Matthews' team. There's every reason to
believe he will be the next captain.
And who wouldn't like to live in the bubble that Marner inhabits, even
for a week or a day?
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Marner's claim on Monday that the Leafs are looked upon as "gods"
couldn't have been more tone-deaf considering the frustration and ire
that has been boiling in Leafs Nation since the overtime loss in
Boston on Saturday.
If you believe that gods are all-knowing, then how could that fury
have escaped Marner?
### **SHELDON'S SHELF LIFE**
Among current NHL coaches, Keefe has the fifth-longest tenure. Only
Tampa Bay's Jon Cooper, Pittsburgh's Mike Sullivan, Colorado's Jared
Bednar and Carolina's Rod Brind'Amour have been with their current
teams longer, and of those four, only Brind'Amour has not guided his
team to a Cup title.
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Since taking over from the fired Babcock in 2019, Keefe has amassed a
sparkling regular-season record of 212-97-40 for a .607 winning
percentage that would be the envy of most of his NHL peers.
It's the wins in the spring that count, though, and that's where Keefe
has not made headway. Toronto has won 16 post-season games and lost 21
under Keefe, advancing past the first round once.
Keefe on Monday sounded like someone who would fully understand if he
is handed a pink slip this week. Like Shanahan, though in a smaller
window, Keefe has had ample chances to make it work in Toronto. It
hasn't.
If Keefe is let go, Treliving will have several options. The heavy
speculation has the Leafs hiring Craig Berube, but the list doesn't
start and end with former Leafs player who coached the St. Louis Blues
to the Cup in 2019.
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Others available include Todd McLellan, Gerard Gallant, Jay Woodcroft
and Joel Quenneville, though he requires NHL clearance.
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### **RIELLY'S PAIN**
One of the few Leafs who wore his heart on his sleeve on Monday was
defenceman Morgan Rielly, who happens be the longest-serving current
member of the team.
Rielly didn't hide his despondence. Since he was picked by the Leafs
in the first round in 2012, Rielly has provided insights that some of
his younger teammates either won't or are not capable of expressing.
Rielly didn't say it, but he didn't have to: He's fully aware that
there is no guarantee this Leafs group eventually will win a Cup.
Rielly turned 30 in March. It's a significant birthday, especially for
a professional hockey player. He knows that each year that drops off
the calendar is another chance at a Cup gone.
He openly wore that dismay on Monday.
tkoshan@postmedia.com
X: @koshtorontosun
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