Five ideal replacements for Sheldon Keefe if Toronto Maple Leafs part ways with head coach

By Ryan Gagne

Modified Jan 16, 2024 20:37 GMT

On Tuesday, the NHL rumor mill was busy, with many in the hockey community wondering if Sheldon Keefe, head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, was on the cusp of losing his job.

As the fifth-winningest coach in franchise history, Keefe (187-83-38) is the only bench boss in the past decade to lead the team to a playoff series win, advancing to the second round in 2022-23.

Even though that earned him some praise from management and the passionate fan base, this season, the Maple Leafs are not meeting expectations (21-12-8), and the rumors are circulating that his time behind the bench may end.

If Toronto decides to move on from Keefe, who replaced Mike Babcock on Nov 20, 2019, plenty of former NHL head coaches could step up in the role in the league's most demanding hockey market.

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Five ideal replacements for the Maple Leafs if they fire Sheldon Keefe

#5. Darryl Sutter

Darryl Sutter is a wild card regarding the head coaching possibilities in Toronto. He is a recent Jack Adams Award winner (2022) and has a history with current Maple Leafs general Brad Treliving since they worked together in Calgary. Of course, he's got a checkered past for his old-school approach to coaching, but maybe that is what the team's superstars need to get them to the next level.

Darryl Sutter

People often forget from his tenures with the Calgary Flames that Sutter is a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Los Angeles Kings. Although it would be a surprise hire, don't count him out if he's willing to leave Alberta and coach in Canada's most prominent hockey market.

#4. Jay Woodcroft

Jay Woodcroft is only 47 years old. He recently guided the Edmonton Oilers to the Western Conference Final and qualified for the playoffs both seasons behind the bench with the team. Unfortunately, after a poor start to this season, the Oilers fired him in November.

Jay Woodcroft

As a former video and assistant coach, Woodcroft is one of the faces of the next generation of coaches who will be around the NHL for years to come. After working in one of Canada's most demanding hockey markets, he's got the pedigree to handle the Toronto media while managing superstars like Auston Matthews and William Nylander as he did with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

#3. Craig Berube

Earlier this season, former Stanley Cup winner Craig Berube was fired by the St. Louis Blues, the same team he won a championship with in his first season in 2019. As their head coach for five and a half seasons, Berube led them to the playoffs every season except one, leaving the club with a winning record.

Craig Berube

Since retiring from professional hockey in 2003-04, Berube has been an active coach in the NHL or the AHL. Considering the talent in the Maple Leafs' lineup, he could change the club's direction, just like he did with the Blues in 2019.

#2. Gerard Gallant

Gerard Gallant has won Coach of the Year in the CHL and NHL, making him one of hockey's most sought-after head coaches. As the former coach of the New York Rangers, relieved of his duties past offseason, he is an intriguing option to replace Keefe on the Maple Leafs.

Gerard Gallant

Outside of his coaching stint with the Columbus Blue Jackets, he's found success with other clubs, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their first season. Since 2014, Gallant has been coaching at the NHL level and won't remain unemployed for much longer.

#1. Guy Boucher

On July 20, 2023, the Maple Leafs raised some eyebrows when they hired former NHL coach Guy Boucher as an assistant coach under Keefe. Although he is currently just a special teams coach, running the powerplay, Boucher is an excellent coach who guided his two previous teams to the Conference Final.

Guy Boucher

Whether Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan had plans to promote Boucher at some point if Keefe failed is unknown. However, having someone like him with an excellent mind for the game so close to running the team makes for a smooth transition if that is the direction the club decides to take.