Keefe future as Maple Leafs coach uncertain after Treliving hire

TORONTO -- Brad Treliving said he wants to "get to know" Sheldon Keefe before determining whether the coach will remain with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 2023-24 season.

"I think Sheldon has done a lot of really, really good team things," Treliving said Thursday, when he was introduced as general manager of the Maple Leafs. "I look at how a group of really skilled players has gotten better at checking and defending and doing those things that you need to win. We're going to sit down and have a thorough process and try to do it as quickly as possible and come to a conclusion."

Treliving, who was hired Wednesday, said he had spoken with Keefe over the phone and acknowledged that the situation of inheriting a coach that he has no relationship with can be difficult.

"As I said to him, it's a little bit of a unique situation. We can call it whatever we want, we're all big boys here," Treliving said. "There's been a change and he's in a unique situation, but that's the business. My outside lens of Sheldon, I look at a team the last two years as a full-time coach, 115 points and 111 points, I think he's a really good coach."

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Keefe is 166-71-30 in four seasons since replacing Mike Babcock as coach Nov. 20, 2019. Though he has led the Maple Leafs to success during the regular season, Keefe has won only one Stanley Cup Playoff series during his tenure, when Toronto defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games in the Eastern Conference First Round this season.

Keefe was promoted to coach by former Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, who was told a few weeks ago that his contract would not be renewed after the season. Dubas, who was Toronto GM for five seasons and was replaced by Treliving, was hired as president of hockey operations by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.

"My view on determining whether a guy is good, bad or indifferent, you have to work with him, you have to get to know him," Treliving said of Keefe. "... I'm coming in with no preconceived notions."

Treliving has a previous history of retaining a coach who was in place when he assumed the role of GM. When Treliving took over as GM of the Calgary Flames on Apr. 28, 2014, he inherited Bob Hartley, who had coached the Flames since 2012. Hartley won the Jack Adams Award as the top coach of the season in Treliving's first season (2014-15) and coached one more season before being replaced by Glen Gulutzan.

"Where we want to get to, I've got a responsibility to that group here to help them get to the level we are trying to attain," Treliving said. "The real draw at the end of the day when you look at all the things surrounding this place, and it's a special, special place, the draw is the team. We're hockey people at the end of the day, and this is a really good team. It's led by world class players. It's hard to get talent. They've got talent."