Sportsnet Analyst rips apart Leafs news conference: 'status quo for them is good enough'
If anyone expected big changes from the Toronto Maple Leafs after yet another first round exit from the NHL playoffs, the team's management has put those ideas to rest. In an end-of-the-season news conference earlier this week, Leafs President Brendan Shanahan said both General Manager Kyle Dubas and Head Coach Sheldon Keefe are safe and he believes they are an important part in getting the team to the next step. In turn, Dubas stated he has no plans to break up the group's core in order to spread money around to get other players. Essentially, not much is going to change next season. That's not sitting well with one analyst.
"I guess we can let the record show...why today, Tuesday, May 17th, will actually go down as a significant one for hockey in this city," said Arash Madani while appearing on Tim & Friends. "Because today is the day the Toronto Maple Leafs have shown you that status quo, for them, is good enough. That a first-round exit over and over and over and over again will actually get you...job stability. They're going to run it all back and keep the same band together again...the same trio (Shanahan, Dubas and Keefe) that brought you the Columbus debacle, the Habs meltdown, and the latest episode with the Lightning, and they are all coming back for more."
"It's as baffling as it is infuriating if you're a fan of this hockey club," continued Madani.
Madani also noted that Shanahan, Dubas, and Keefe all talked about getting past the first round as if that was some type of big achievement for a team that had an excellent overall record in the regular
"Think of how ridiculous that is," said Madani.
Madani pointed out that Shanahan had never worked as a hockey executive before being named President of the Leafs, Dubas had never been a GM at the NHL level before, while Keefe had never coached in the NHL before. But, for some reason, ownership is fine with keeping them all together.
"Barry Trotz is available. Pete DeBoer is available. 14 times those two coaches have gotten through the first round, which is apparently the benchmark now," said Madani sarcastically. "They've been to the Stanley Cup final, DeBoer twice. Trotz has actually lifted that silver beauty all of four years ago. So, naturally, to get better, you'd entertain the thought of speaking with one or both of them, right?"
Madani followed that question with a clip of Dubas putting his full faith behind Keefe.
"I think when you speak of Keefe in 10-15 years, you'll speak of him the same way you spoke about those two great coaches," said Dubas when asked about the possibility of speaking to Trotz or DeBoer in the offseason.
The blow of another first-round exit seemed to be softened somewhat for many Leaf fans by the fact they were taken out by the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions rather than a team they really should have beaten. Or, perhaps, fans are just getting used to the disappointment. Personally, I'm not sure I'd be as adamant about change as Madani is, but it is strange to see a team do the same things over and over and expect different results.
| POLL | ||
MAI 18 | 240 ANSWERS Sportsnet Analyst rips apart Leafs news conference: 'status quo for them is good enough' Does Leafs management need a change? | ||
| No, the trio is doing just fine | 70 | 29.2 % |
| One of them needs to go | 83 | 34.6 % |
| Fire all three | 87 | 36.3 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Conor Garland | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Dylan Guenther | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Nick Schmaltz | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Jake Debrusk | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jack McBain | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alex Newhook | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mikhail Sergachev | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jayden Struble | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cole Caufield | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Logan Cooley | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Christian Dvorak | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Barrett Hayton | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Quinn Hughes | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Clayton Keller | - | 1 | 1 | |
| David Savard | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Pius Suter | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Arber Xhekaj | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Josh Anderson | - | - | - | |
| Joel Armia | - | - | - | |
| Arshdeep Bains | - | - | - | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 22 | 18 | 4 | - | 36 | |
Devils | 24 | 15 | 7 | 2 | 32 | |
Hurricanes | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 31 | |
Wild | 21 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 30 | |
Golden Knights | 22 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 30 | |
Capitals | 21 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 29 | |
Maple Leafs | 21 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 28 | |
Flames | 22 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 27 | |
Stars | 20 | 13 | 7 | - | 26 | |
Rangers | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||