Playoff losses will haunt Sheldon Keefe, but he’s happy to be back

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Sheldon Keefe wryly remarked that he will never be completely separated from his previous life in Toronto as long as he has to fight traffic to reach Scotiabank Arena.

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But Thursday night will feel like the final cord-cutting for the coach, who has worked here for nearly 10 years, first with the AHL Marlies, including the 2018 Calder Cup, and five years with the Leafs, ending with three straight 100-point seasons.

“That’s fair to say,” Keefe said of the final rite of the split. “It was nice coming home last night, having dinner with my family and battling traffic on the QEW today, it was all very familiar. But of course it will be different on the other bench.

“When the puck drops, it’s hockey, like when we played them in Jersey (a 4-2 Leafs win in October).”

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Keefe’s new players are one point ahead of the Leafs entering the game in second place in their division.

Keefe has been making low-key trips since the Devils hired him right after the Leafs fired him in May. Not wanting to disrupt his wife’s career, his two sons’ passionate hockey and lacrosse pursuits, or their many community ties, they stayed at the family home on the west side of town while Keefe commuted.

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But Thursday morning was different, with Keefe walking into the Raptors’ entrance at Scotiabank Arena, then fighting his instinct to continue walking past the visitor’s room to the Leafs’ den.

“It’s great to see all the familiar faces and say hello to everyone,” said Keefe, whose .665 points percentage is a Toronto franchise record.

Despite all the success the Devils have had thus far, Keefe knows that a few setbacks in Toronto’s playoff record (1-5 in the series he coached) wouldn’t have allowed him to take the loss. silver for Craig Berube.

“It was my first experience, not only in the NHL, but also coaching such a great team, a great franchise with great resources and such expectations to win. My growth as a coach has probably been accelerated,” he said.

“I know the league a little better now and I think I have a clear understanding of how to be successful. As a young coach, you try to find your way through the first two seasons.

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“I have a clear idea of ​​who I am as a coach and, for all these reasons, I am grateful for the opportunity I had here. But like I said, I’m still disappointed that we weren’t able to hold on in the playoffs and that’s part of why changes were needed.

“I don’t want to make (Thursday) bigger than it is. The players on the ice will determine the outcome and I will enjoy it for what it is.

He will likely receive a video tribute during a first-half timeout.

“I was probably in public more than any other Leafs coach because my kids were playing sports and I never left last summer other than a few trips to Jersey,” Keefe observed. “I’ve never had a negative experience (with fans), other than them coming up to thank me for my time.

“There was a lot of responsibility, but a lot of privilege and I loved every day I coached the Leafs.”

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Down the hall at Scotiabank Arena, winger Bobby McMann was one of the Leafs to express his thanks for Keefe’s key role in their development. Undrafted, McMann rose through the ranks of the Marlies, where Keefe recognized his potential.

“He gave me a lot of opportunities early on and taught me things in my game that could have an impact in the NHL,” McMann said. “Basically, he told me there were (holes) on this team that you could fill on both sides of the game.”

Keefe had an unconventional start with the Leafs, replacing Mike Babcock at the start of a season that would be delayed several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But he worked with many of those who left the Marlies with him and ultimately had custody of the Core Four – the very talented Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and free agent John Tavares.

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“There are a lot of guys I feel good about, not just here, but all over the league, including the Marlies and the Leafs. Not just me and my assistants, but also the development and training staff,” Keefe said. “So many people around the Leafs help these guys be the best version of themselves and Bobby stayed true to himself.

“It was a big loss for us last year in the playoffs (a seven-game loss to Boston) because he was so important to our team. You feel good about guys like that.

October’s loss to the Leafs came just after the Devils returned from Prague after sweeping the Sabers in the season opener.

Keefe joked that he had plenty of money on the locker room board that night to cheer his team on, but as they lost he vowed “this time we’ll play for points”.

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