NASHVILLE — Sheldon Keefe kept his job after an unsettling process.
The Maple Leafs head coach also knows he’s getting a second chance.
On the job a month after replacing the fired Kyle Dubas, Toronto general manager Brad Treliving announced this week Keefe will return behind the bench following a series of meetings between the two men to ensure the fit was right.
“Thrilled to be back,” Keefe said Thursday on Day 2 of the NHL draft. “It’s been a process, but a good process — a thorough one. Obviously, at times uncertain and uncomfortable, but a good process and a necessary one in understanding the position that Brad in the organization are in.
“Thrilled to continue on.”
Treliving didn’t know Keefe before signing on as GM in hockey’s biggest market, and drilled down on the coach to see if they could work together.
Keefe, who is entering the final year of his contract, made the grade.
“Approached it as though I was starting anew,” Keefe said. “That interaction with Brad to me was over the course of a number of days and very thorough — a mix of my beliefs and my philosophy and going through that process as you would as though you’re interviewing for any job.
“Where we’ve been, what we’ve been through, how we’ve handled different situations, where I think the team is at. And then there was some time there where there was uncertainty.”
Keefe is 166-71-30 since taking over as Toronto’s coach in 2019, including 115- and 111-point showings the last two seasons, but playoff success has been much harder to come by for the Original Six franchise.
The Leafs advanced in the post-season for the first time in 19 years this spring before meekly exiting in the second round.
There were questions about Keefe’s future even before Dubas was fired following a bizarre stretch that culminated in team president Brendan Shanahan handing the GM his walking papers.
“I’m on the sidelines, right?” Keefe said of that awkward period. “It’s out of my control and there’s a lot of things playing out.
“Knew that when it was my turn, that I would get some sort of communication.”
Dubas hired Keefe in the Ontario Hockey League (as head coach of the Soo Greyhounds), American Hockey League and NHL.
“He’s been a massive part of my career,” said the coach. “I’ve grown tremendously working with him. He’s done a terrific job to put our organization in a really good spot.
“Also worked without him at different times along the way, and I’ve enjoyed those as well.”
Dubas indicated he would either remain with the Leafs or take time away from the game before getting fired. He then surfaced with the Pittsburgh Penguins as their president of hockey operations some 30 minutes before Treliving met the Toronto media for the first time at Scotiabank Arena in late May.
“I’m happy Kyle’s landed on his feet,” Keefe said. “Fresh perspective and working with new people thus far has been really good for me.”
Treliving and Keefe spent somewhere in the neighbourhood of 17 hours in those meetings before the call was made on his future.
“Important decision for him, so I was available for whatever he needed,” Keefe said of his new boss. “While uncomfortable at times in terms of some of the questions and the uncertainty for myself, he was easy to talk to and made it comfortable.
“The more time you spend together, you get more and more excited about working with him.”
Keefe was also asked about a potential contract extension.
“That’ll play itself out,” he said. “A lot of things on (Treliving’s) list right now. I understand that, and when the timing is right, we’ll spend some time to talk about it and see what works for both the organization and myself.”
Keefe said Treliving indicated he was impressed with how Toronto’s best players — Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander — have defended the last few seasons.
The pair also share a belief the Leafs can win with its “Core Four” moving forward.
“Brad’s put it very well in that it’s really hard to get good players,” Keefe said. “Brad’s gonna continue to go through his process and do everything possible to give us the best possible team on the ice.
“As much as we haven’t gotten to exactly where we need to get to, it’s hard not to acknowledge the fact that there has been progress … (but) we still live in the reality of just how difficult it is to get all the way through it.”
Keefe will get the chance to help make that happen.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
