No More Mr. Nice Coach: Leafs' Search for Tough Love

The Leafs just axed Sheldon Keefe on Friday, kicking off the hunt for his replacement—or maybe this search has been lurking longer than we think, deep in the hockey weeds. Keefe's coaching chops during the season and Brad Treliving’s rookie GM year with the Leafs likely sealed his fate; his job security hinged heavily on a deep playoff run, building on last year's playoff mojo under Kyle Dubas. So, the Leafs were probably keeping an eye on the coaching free agency scene all season, at least until they got eliminated in Game Seven of the first round.

Among Leafs faithful, the hot pick for head coach is Craig Berube, a former player and Stanley Cup champ with the Blues, beating the Bruins in 2018. But they're not just banking on Berube to outshine Boston; they want a defensive maestro who can also let the top players loose offensively. He's got a bit of that Barry Trotz composition, you feel?

Speaking of long shots, Rod Brind'amour's name pops up. He's the longest-serving NHL coach for one team, preaching accountability like nobody's business. The timing seems right, especially with rumors that his talks with the Canes about a contract extension are going stale. For Brind'Amour, coaching the Leafs means delving into a talent pool deeper than what he's used to in Carolina. While the Hurricanes boast a strong roster for a smaller market team, they lack the high-end talent that the Leafs possess.

Now, even if Brind'amour lands the gig and the Leafs get swept in the playoffs, picture him pulling a deja vu line from last year's post-series presser: "We weren't really swept, technically..." It'd be a riot. I'm betting on one of these two, but who knows? Maybe we'll hear the "Bruce there it is!" chants or see Todd McLennan rocking another young superstar squad like the Oilers. Heck, they might even snatch Matthews’ Swiss coach and let Bieber take on assistant coaching duties. Imagine the headlines then!