Toronto Maple Leafs

[Shake]

Might just end up being Shanny...or McPhee.

they need someone with good contacts in the league. managing the cap would be a good asset too but you can always get someone else to do that.

dare i say...pierre mcguire?

[The Black Panther]

Maple Leafs sign Andreas Johnson to entry-level deal, re-sign Brennan
by Bryan Mcwilliam Jun 5, 12:58 PM
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John E. Sokolowski / Reuters
The Toronto Maple Leafs are building their depth.

On Thursday, the club announced that they have signed forward Andreas Johnson to a three-year entry-level deal, and re-signed defenseman T.J. Brennan for one more season.

Johnson was Toronto's seventh-round pick in the 2013 draft. The 20-year-old spent 2014-15 with Frolunda in Sweden, recording 35 points in 55 games.


Brennan, a former second-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, appeared in six games for the Maple Leafs last season, while spending most of the year with the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

He earned a lone assist for the Maple Leafs in his short stint with the club.

[The Black Panther]

For some reason, this reminds me of that scene from Horrible Bosses where Kevin Spacey proclaims to everyone "I've decided who will fill that position, he's in this room... and...it's me. So I'm going to knock down this wall and make 1 huge, enormous office, but I'll only be taking 80% of the additional salary to which I'm entitled."

I'd SO love to see Shanny give that speech. lol

And then Dubas or Hunter lunges at him and throws him out the window.

Lol. Somehow I think Hunter and Dubas know already.

[The Black Panther]

CHL coach of the year Sheldon Keefe hired by Leafs' AHL club

By Neate Sager5 hours agoBuzzing The Net

View photo
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Sheldon Keefe of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

If it was not a very poorly kept secret, it certainly seemed inevitable. For the second off-season in succession, the Toronto Maple Leafs have hired a hockey mind from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, with assistant GM Kyle Dubas hiring Sheldon Keefe as a head coach for the second time in their careers.
The Leafs made it officlal Monday that Keefe will guide the AHL's Toronto Marlies, putting the defending OHL regular-season champs in the market for a new coach.

From the Maple Leafs:

“As we went through this process, given our goal of finding an elite young coach to develop our prospects with the Marlies, it was clear to our management group that Sheldon Keefe was the best choice for our organization,” Dubas said in a statement. “For nearly a decade — since he arrived in Pembroke and through his time in Sault Ste. Marie – Sheldon has simply excelled at maximizing each player’s potential while coaching very successful teams at the same time.

“We feel we have a solid group of young prospects with the Marlies and we look forward to Sheldon leading them beginning with our Development Camp in early July.” (mapleleafs.nhl.com)

While it took Keefe time to earn a second chance in the mainstream of big-time pucks, it's certainly been a rapid rise since Dubas and the 'Hounds brought him into the OHL in late 2012. In that time, not necessarily because he was something of an exile, Keefe did become a relative early adaptor with the new school of coaching, embracing analytics and abjuring the traditional, tried-and-true notion of having a top six and bottom six among his forward corps. That was certainly catalytic in the Greyhounds having a 110-point season before getting caught in the Connor McDavid undertow in the league semifinal. It also jibes with how the Leafs are planning to utlize the Marlies.
Keefe's ascension to the AHL means there are three OHL head coaching vacancies. The Kitchener Rangers might fill internally by promoting associate coach Mike Van Ryn.
The Greyhounds stayed within the league for Dubas' successor when they hired Kyle Raftis, who had been the OHL's director of recruiting. Raftis would have a chance to put his own stamp on the team, but there is something to be said for continuity when a team is coming off two successful seasons in a row.

[The Black Panther]

The 411 on New Marlies Head Coach Sheldon Keefe
by Anthony Fusco | June 8, 2015


Brendan Shanahan continues to put his master plan into place. Under his watchful eye, the Toronto Maple Leafs are determined to completely revamp their front office and coaching staff for the 2015 season and beyond. The additions of Mark Hunter, Kyle Dubas and Mike Babcock have provided the team with a wealth of exuberance and experience that should prove invaluable in the future.

Lately, the Maple Leafs have been dipping into the junior ranks in search of new personnel. That’s how they found the aforementioned Dubas and Hunter. The latest member of the organization is Sheldon Keefe, who was recently hired to be the new Toronto Marlies head coach. So, who exactly is Sheldon Keefe?

Playing Background

Keefe was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning, 47th overall in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He only suited up for 125 games for the Bolts over his career, most of which was spent in the AHL with teams like the Springfield Falcons, Hershey Bears and Utah Grizzlies.

Coaching Career


In 2006, Keefe took over major duties for the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the CCHL and became their head coach and general manager. Under his leadership and tutelage the Lumber Kings went on to capture five straight Central Canada Hockey League Championships. They were also the 2011 Royal Bank Cup champions. His stats before leaving for the OHL are a regular season mark of 265-76-20 along with a 67-22 postseason record.

In December of 2012, Keefe was named the 18th head coach in Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds history. He spent three seasons with the team, and was named both the CHL and OHL Coach of the Year in 2015. He’s the first Greyhounds coach to capture the award since Craig Hartsburg in 2001-02.


How Does he Fit With the Marlies?



Keefe is a proven winner who knows how to get the best out of his players. The Marlies have a lot of young and impressionable talent like Connor Brown, William Nylander and Brendan Leipsic. It will be Keefe’s job to mold them into NHL ready players so that when they are given the call up to the big team, they can perform to the best of their abilities.

Keefe and Babcock will need to be on the same page for the development of the teams prospects. The two should be working closely to implement the same playing style so that the transition is seamless for AHL players called up to the NHL.

Keefe has some work to do. It’s a great challenge, and he appears to be ready and willing to take on the task. Shanahan continues to add pieces of the puzzle. He has gone after top CHL talent and the addition of Keefe proves that the organization is truly going in a different and exciting direction.

[The Black Panther]

Nice article about our 2nd best prospect.......

https://www.todaysslapshot.com/nhl-e...r-maple-leafs/

[The Black Panther]

Report: Maple Leafs will not hire a GM before June's draft





http://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/780076

[The Black Panther]

Headlines

Former Leaf D.J. Smith one of three who'll assist new Toronto coach Babcock






http://m.thn.com/blog/former-leaf-d-...coach-babcock/

[rainydrinkwater]

So leafs trade 24 and 28 for 34, 61 and 68. I believe that's right.

What's the early opinion from leaf nation on these moves?

[JagrBomb]

So leafs trade 24 and 28 for 34, 61 and 68. I believe that's right.

What's the early opinion from leaf nation on these moves?

depends on who they select at 34 mostly. the guy i thought they would take at 24 was konecny and the guy i thought they would take at 29 was carlsson, and they ended up going to the teams who traded up. if they get bracco/sprong at 34 ill be pretty happy as i think those guys would have been great picks at 24.

and if hunter can even get 1 of 61/68 to be a good NHL player that's even better.

so yes i like the moves. provided they don't pick Tyler Biggs 2.0 with the extra picks.

[2014olympicgold]

Connor Brown, Nylander, and now Marner all at 5'11" at draft time? going small up front i guess. the trading down of the draft picks makes me think they are going for Kylington with that pick. He's the best skating D in the draft i think. honestly, i was hoping for Strome, but going over Hanifin i think is the right choice, especially with how deep D is after the 1st round. Im happy so far.

[Axeman33]

I still think the Leafs should have drafted Hanifin at 4.

Their depth at D is questionable and their only real future piece is Reilly.

[JagrBomb]

Connor Brown, Nylander, and now Marner all at 5'11" at draft time? going small up front i guess. the trading down of the draft picks makes me think they are going for Kylington with that pick. He's the best skating D in the draft i think. honestly, i was hoping for Strome, but going over Hanifin i think is the right choice, especially with how deep D is after the 1st round. Im happy so far.

good call on kylington. they will probably go for a D, and if babcock can get this kid back to form he could be a steal.

although something tells me Pilon is destined to play alongside Phaneuf.

[2014olympicgold]

good call on kylington. they will probably go for a D, and if babcock can get this kid back to form he could be a steal.

although something tells me Pilon is destined to play alongside Phaneuf.

if they wanted to make assets larger, like 1 pick into 3, they'd trade off picks quickly in trades. like 1 trade right after another. but they are waiting until they pick, and then it's an instant trade, so to me it hints they have a couple of players in mind that keep slipping.

I still think the Leafs should have drafted Hanifin at 4.

Their depth at D is questionable and their only real future piece is Reilly.

Erixon, Brennan, Gardiner, Reilly are what they are planning for i'm guessing. Finn, Granberg, and who ever they pick coming up too. not justifying the pick, but i think from the get go it was Strome or Marner. Hanifin wasn't in the vision of their future with the depth at D in the 2nd-3rd rounds. 34, 61, and 65. 2/3 will be defence i think

[Nights]

depends on who they select at 34 mostly. the guy i thought they would take at 24 was konecny and the guy i thought they would take at 29 was carlsson, and they ended up going to the teams who traded up. if they get bracco/sprong at 34 ill be pretty happy as i think those guys would have been great picks at 24.

and if hunter can even get 1 of 61/68 to be a good NHL player that's even better.

so yes i like the moves. provided they don't pick Tyler Biggs 2.0 with the extra picks.

Getting Bracco at 61 imo makes this a wash, since we got 2 picks on top of him instead of picking him up earlier in the draft. No complaints from my end at this point in time, we'll see when development happens.