Keefe not concerned on contract status: 'The other stuff will work itself out'
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After filling out his staff on Thursday, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe said he's not concerned about his contract status.
Keefe is entering the final year of his current contract and said no extension talks have taken place, pointing to the fact that he and general manager Brad Treliving have been tied up by more pressing issues.
“The other stuff will work itself out over time,” said Keefe, who added veteran coach Guy Boucher and former Maple Leaf Mike Van Ryn as assistant coaches.
Treliving announced ahead of the draft that Keefe would return as head coach, with TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reporting that an extension was expected to follow this summer.
Keefe was promoted to the role of head coach from the AHL's Toronto Marlies in 2019 under then-general manager Kyle Dubas. Keefe has been tied to Dubas throughout his career, serving as head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Soo Greyhounds under Dubas before following him to the Leafs organization with the Marlies.
The Maple Leafs parted ways with Dubas in May, with team president Brendan Shanahan stating the team had been interested in bringing him back before talks fell through that same week.
"I'm on the sidelines, right?" Keefe said last month of the changeover at general manager. "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."
The 42-year-old just completed his fourth season behind the Leafs bench, guiding the team to a 50-21-11 record. Toronto won its first playoff series since 2004, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, before falling to the Florida Panthers in five games in the second round.
Keefe, who has guided the Maple Leafs to the playoffs in each of his four seasons, has a 166-71-30 record with the team. His 166 wins are sixth-most in club history.
In his first three playoffs, the Leafs were 0-6 in potential series-winning games, blowing a 3-1 lead to the Montreal Canadiens in 2021 and a 3-2 lead to the Lightning in 2021.