Partner Content | Next Maple Leafs head coach odds: Quenneville, Gallant favoured over Keefe

Sheldon Keefe’s odds to remain the Maple Leafs’ head coach

Sheldon Keefe (+600)

On paper, the start of Keefe’s coaching career hasn’t been bad by any means.

He joined the Maple Leafs’ organization in 2015 as head coach of the Toronto Marlies and brought them to the playoffs in four consecutive seasons, winning the Calder Cup in 2018.

Keefe took over for Mike Babcock in 2019. Toronto made the playoffs all four years under his tenure and set the franchise record for points (115) and wins (54) in 2020-21.

But all that matters in this market is playoff success, and Keefe couldn’t deliver on that front. Toronto suffered opening-round exits to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lighting in consecutive years.

It seems Toronto’s most recent 4-1 series loss to the now cup-bound Florida Panthers is the breaking point. When Dubas wasn’t retained, many thought Keefe’s departure was soon to follow. But Brendan Shanahan made it clear the next GM would decide who is fit to coach the team.

It’s a little unfair to Keefe to be left in limbo like this but if he hasn’t been moved yet it might be a good sign for the 42-year-old. That said, his +700 odds are longer than all but one candidate on this list.

Next best odds

Gerard Gallant (+300): Gallant was recently let go by the New York Rangers following their postseason collapse against the New Jersey Devils. Just one year before, he had them two wins away from making the Stanley Cup Final. It’s a cutthroat league.

This would admittedly make a lot of sense for the Maple Leafs.

Gallant has experience — 18 years of it to be exact — and brought the Vegas Golden Knights to the final in their maiden voyage.

The veteran bench boss has also been linked to the Calgary Flames, so Toronto will probably have to act fast if it wants to get this done.

Andrew Brunette (+400): Brunette is an intriguing option for a few reasons. The 49-year-old had a heck of an NHL career and totalled 1,110 games across six different franchises and is looking to build upon that legacy behind the bench.

His big coaching break came when Quenneville was relieved of the Panthers’ job in 2021. Brunette led Florida to a 51-18-6 record and a President’s trophy. The team eventually was swept by the Lightning and he lost his job as a result.

Brunette is now the assistant on a very impressive New Jersey Devils team that owned the third-best record in hockey with the fourth-best scoring offence.

He’s already interviewed with the Columbus Blue Jackets, though, so again time is of the essence.

Joel Quenneville (+400): Quenneville shares +400 odds with the man who took over for him in 2021. The coach’s history speaks for itself — three Stanley Cups, six conference finals appearances and 121 playoff wins.

Quenneville turned a team with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews into a dynasty. There are plenty of similarities between that duo and Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.

Nonetheless, off-ice issues cost Quenneville his job and it would be a bit of a surprise to see the Leafs turn to him in this spot.

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