[Twitter] – Ryan O’Reilly on this interview said that there were different things the @MapleLeafs could have tried in the 2nd rnd but didn’t. He said it a couple of times that he & others wished they had tried other things. Discuss amongst yourselves

32 comments

1. a.k.a. fire Keefe.

2. I think this is one of the biggest reasons we have a hard time in the playoffs. Running around mixing up lines is not the answer. Running the same plays is not the answer either. Keefe is a one-trick pony.

3. Oh my, spicy

4. Sounds like they wanted a better coach to me

5. I wonder if they want to fire Keefe, but are afraid that Matthews will not want to sign if they do. There has to be something holding up this process. If multiple players expressed what ROR is here, you have to think that Keefe is dead in the water.

6. It could be a hint about Keefe. But hell, it COULD mean a whole plethora of other reasons. Maybe players on the team took note of our big guns not performing. Maybe they were frustrated that they maybe didn’t get an opportunity to showcase. Maybe Johnny T took Mitch’s Percocet, And we all know the two rules about Percocet.

7. Imagine being lucky enough to bring ROR into your team for your playoff run and not listening to the former Conn Smythe and Stanley Cup Winner. Why have him at all then? The whole purpose to surround yourself in people who have been-there-done-that is so you take their advice in difficult situations.

8. Bye bye keefe and seems like we can actually resign ROR if we can find the cap space

9. Lolllll former Conn Smyth winner joins the team for 10 regular season games & 11 playoff games, goes on TV and slags our franchise’s winningest coach. The true leaf experience.

10. Keefe out coached again. ROR just proving what we already knew.

11. Not gunna torture myself with this one

12. Lots of people pointing this directly on Keefe… could be MANY other factors. If this was pointed directly at Keefe you think they would can him by now right?

13. They may have found something in game 5 but then the Panthers straight up cheated for that OT goal

14. Fire Keefe, and if it’s true that Matthews won’t resign with him here, then Trade Matthews as well. The man has been outcoached in every playoff series he’s been in. Im hindsight, even Tampa this year, there are basically the decaying ruins of their finals teams, and we almost ended up going to 7 with them despite being a MUCH stronger roster.

    He just can’t seem to get the guys fired up for an entire series. This roster should have much more than just one second round in his tenure.

15. “We tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas”

    Sheldon Keefe

16. Maybe fight back in a scrum?

17. My opinion is that they are coached to not be assholes on the ice. To not take penalties and punish them on the powerplay. That doesn’t work in the playoffs. You have to be assholes and borderline criminals to get an advantage in the playoffs. Until the league starts regularly enforcing their own rulebook, the Leafs need to adapt and start playing like absolute pricks.

18. We played Tampa and their D was absolutely terrible once Hedman and Cernak got injured, yet we still had no forecheck to actually attack them. Cooper targeted Holl every single time he was on the ice by dumping it in his corner and sending 2-3 guys cause he know Holl couldn’t make a quick pass to burn them. ROR coming from the Blues which are a team that has a heavy forecheck undoubtedly understood that the game plan was a disaster.

    I’m not absolving the players, but I’m sure I’m not the only person that noticed the exact same game plan vs Columbus, Montreal, and Tampa. Keefe has the team trap. So naturally teams just dump it in and forecheck the fuck out of us. We go down because we’re playing passive as to not give up rush chances, and then after the 1st or 2nd commercial break in the 3rd period Keefe gets them to actually forecheck and play like we do all season and then we look like a juggernaut. Often coming back to win. Keefe has the exact same gameplan vs every team with little to no adjustments.

    Not to mention we won 1 series in 5 years and that was with Matthews and Marner separated. So naturally he plays Matthews and Marner together next series and Matthews scores 0 goals. Great coach.

19. Maybe Keefe was part of the group that wanted to try other things but he was handcuffed by his GM? It’s well known that Kyle was in his kitchen all the time. I’m interested to see how Keefe coaches without Kyle over his shoulder. Let Keefe cook.

20. Was the interview on overdrive? Can’t find it

21. It honestly sounds like he was taking the blame as players – the only thing that maybe could be interpreted as it was the coach was the line “a lot of guys felt that way”, but really he was saying we didn’t respond how we needed to

22. “Can we try something else besides dump and chase?”

23. Make him player / coach

24. Yup so, we know he said a lot in his exit interview lol

25. It was extremely obvious what they were doing was not working, anyone with a brain could have seen that. Keefe’s inability to adjust on the fly to different scenarios is his downfall. He seems like a good coach in other areas but he is too stubborn and unwilling to make changes when things aren’t working.

26. I’ve been downvoted in the past because I’ve said Keefe just isn’t the most tactically astute coach.

    He just seems to spam the same few moves over and over hoping the line blending works out.

27. If Keefe actually didn’t do anything that his players were suggesting then he deserves to be fired over this. Him and his lover boy Holl need to be shot into the sun.

28. What I know about hockey strategy could barely fill a pamphlet and even I was sitting there watching drop
    Pass, after drop pass and awful zone entry wondering why they weren’t changing it up… but sure. Fire Dubas

29. That’s Keefe for you

30. Keefe should be gone. Same ol shit each year.

31. Makes me wonder if Keefe refuses to listen to suggestions from the players…

32. Keefe has to be fucking let go.