Sheldon Keefe says Leafs 'deserve the Stanley Cup' in goodbye message to team
After being let go by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sheldon Keefe is saying goodbye.
Keefe, who was fired this morning after five seasons on the job, shared a video to X today thanking Leafs fans, players, and staff for the support during his time as Toronto's head coach.
Thank you, Leafs Nation 💙✌️ pic.twitter.com/WN4iXJZjjE
— Sheldon Keefe (@SheldonKeefe) May 9, 2024
"Leafs nation, time has come to say goodbye. Writing down a note and sending it out didn't seem like enough, and I do plan on taking a little break from media. So here I am. I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs. It's a dream come true for a boy from Brampton," Keefe said in the video.
"I want to thank Kyle Dubas, Lou Lamoriello, Brad Treliving, Brandon Pridham, Brendan Shanahan, Larry Tannenbaum, and the MLSE board for giving me this opportunity to work with the Marlies and Leafs. I didn't get it done in the playoffs. I didn't help push our team over the line and deliver. I accept responsibility for that. No excuses. That's the job. I didn't get it done. It's the reality of the business, and I accept it."
Prior to his time in charge of the Leafs, Keefe had previously been head coach of the AHL's Toronto Marlies, winning a Calder Cup in 2018.
"To the players, I appreciate all your efforts, your talents, and your work ethic made me look good on a lot of nights. Anyone who stood up for the blue and white, I appreciate you. To the support staff for the Maple Leafs, you're tremendous people, you're elite at what you do. Players and support staff will drive the team to success. I believe it will win.
Since taking over the job in 2019, Keefe went 212-97-40 in the regular season with Toronto, a .607 winning percentage, while going 16-21 in the playoffs, a .432 winning percentage.
"Leafs nation, you deserve the Stanley Cup. Your passion at home and on the road is unmatched. It's an incredible honour to coach the Maple Leafs, to try to deliver for you," Keefe added.
"To the media: I had to deal with you every single day, sometimes twice a day, three times a day. I appreciate your process. I respected the fact that you're honest and fair and had a job to do. I hope you appreciated the fact that I helped you do it. I don't know what comes next, but I'll be ready for it. In the meantime, I'll enjoy giving my family the time that they deserve. Love you all, and be well."
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