Sheldon Keefe shares the emotional rollercoaster he faced before being fired by Toronto Maple Leafs

By ARJUN B

Modified May 28, 2024 17:01 GMT

Former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe opened up about the emotional experience leading up to his firing by the team this summer. According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, Keefe had a restless night before his dismissal, already sensing that his tenure in Toronto was coming to an end.

"I had a pretty good sense that that day I was going to wake up and be called in for a meeting," Keefe said.

That fateful morning, he came up with the idea to film a goodbye video in his "happy place" near home to thank the city and the fans.

Keefe served as the Leafs head coach for five seasons following his appointment in 2019 after replacing Mike Babcock.

During his tenure, the team successfully made it to the playoffs for five straight seasons. Nonetheless, they encountered difficulties during the playoff games. Their 2024 playoff campaign concluded with a defeat in a seven-game series against the Boston Bruins in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs.

Fans react to Sheldon Keefe's emotional experience in leaving the Maple Leafs

Sheldon Keefe's honest comments regarding the emotions he experienced before being let go by the Toronto Maple Leafs have sparked responses from fans on social platforms.

One fan commented:

"Good for him I guess. Most coaches don’t post farewell videos but if that’s how he wanted to cope with it then good for him. Besides, he wasn’t long getting another job which is good. Should be interesting to see how he does with NJ."

This response showed empathy for Sheldon Keefe's methods of processing the difficult transition.

However, some fans were less enthusiastic about Keefe's vulnerability. One fan posted:

"Well it’s kind of how he made decisions, they were premonitions. Keeping Bobby McMann in the minors, starting Samsonov ahead of Woll, playing TJ Broadie ahead of Liljegen. We believe he filled his lineup card by using an Ouija board."

Another simply replied:

"Oh no" in response to the news, conveying a sense of apathy or dismissal of the coach's emotions.

Here are some fan reactions:

"Oakville is a terrific town full of many "happy places". Ironically, Sheldon and his family lived a pitching wedge away from Paul Maurice's home while he was Leafs coach." one fan commented on X.

"Man was losing sleep over daddy dubas" another fan said.

"Cutting edge journalism." a user said.

Sheldon Keefe has been appointed as the new head coach of the New Jersey Devils, where he will have the opportunity to start fresh.