Maple Leafs’ Keefe Has Inexcusable Comments After Game 4 Loss

“Nothing wrong with the effort level tonight,” Keefe said postgame. “Guys were competing. It’s physical hockey. Guys are trying. It’s a good team over there, and it’s limiting us. You can question a lot of things, you can’t question the effort.”

That comment circulated like wildfire among the Maple Leafs fan base, as Keefe had every opportunity to say the effort was inexcusable, and perhaps light a fire under his top stars heading into Game 5. Instead, he seemed to give them a pat on the back, which is the last thing fans want to see or hear at this point. If they were a young, inexperienced group, those comments may be acceptable. For a team that crumples under the pressure of the playoffs year after year, they are inexcusable.

This isn’t the first time Keefe has taken a soft approach with this group, either. Early in the 2022-23 season, he criticized his top stars for not living up to their elite-level status.

“The difference between us and Arizona is that we have elite players,” the head coach said following a loss to the Arizona Coyotes. “And our elite players didn’t play like elite players today, they couldn’t make a difference. In that sense, the game is going to be close. That’s the way it goes when those guys don’t make the difference that they can.”

Instead of sticking with those comments, he apologized a short time later, saying he used the wrong words. It seemed like Marner wasn’t a big fan, as he admitted that he talked to Keefe following those comments.

“I talked to him today, and he explained what he meant to say and how it came out,” said Marner. “I’ll leave it at that. We have closed doors for a reason.”

Many felt like Keefe was coddling his top players, and Marner in particular, following that odd exchange through the media. After his most recent comments on their effort in Game 4 against the Bruins, it is hard to see it as anything but.

Maple Leafs Need Tough-Love Approach

If this core is to stay intact next season, general manager Brad Treliving is going to need to find a new head coach. He can’t have one that is scared to criticize his team’s top stars, as these results we are seeing year after year are what you get.

This team needs a hard-nosed coach who isn’t afraid to call them out, whether publicly or behind closed doors. They need someone who will light a fire under them to allow them to bring out their best effort each and every night come the playoffs. Keefe isn’t that, as has been proven by the Maple Leafs’ playoff appearances in each of the past four years where they have seen early exits despite great regular season success.