Did Sheldon Keefe quit? What we know about ex-Maple Leafs head coach's departure

The Toronto Maple Leafs have parted ways with head coach Sheldon Keefe following their fourth opening-round playoff exit in five seasons under his leadership. Keefe did not step down himself, but rather it was a decision taken by the Maple Leafs management.

The team's latest disappointment came in the form of a 2-1 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 7 on Saturday at TD Garden.

Keefe's dismissal comes as a surprise, given that he had signed a two-year contract extension just last August.

The Maple Leafs have now tied the NHL record for the longest active playoff streak at eight seasons but have only managed to advance past the first round once during that span, last year against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Despite the team's regular-season success, finishing third in the Atlantic Division with a 46-26-10 record, Keefe took responsibility for their playoff shortcomings. In a press conference on Monday, he acknowledged that he had failed to meet expectations as head coach.

"We are in the results business here," Keefe said. "We didn't get results. We haven't met expectations.

"As head coach, I take responsibility for that. ... My job as a head coach is to find solutions and chart a path ahead for the group to come through and succeed at the most important time of year. We haven't done that."

During his tenure, Keefe amassed a 212-97-40 record, placing him fifth in franchise history for wins.

Sheldon Keefe's journey with the Maple Leafs organization began in 2019 when then-general manager Kyle Dubas promoted him from the AHL's Toronto Marlies to replace the fired Mike Babcock.

Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving on firing Sheldon Keefe

GM Brad Treliving announced the firing of head coach Sheldon Keefe on Thursday.

"Today's decision was difficult. Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man; however, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal," Treliving said in a statement to NHL.com.

"We thank Sheldon for his hard work and dedication to the organization over the last nine years, and wish him and his family all the very best."

With Sheldon Keefe being a first-time NHL head coach when he was originally hired, Treliving may opt for a more experienced candidate this time around.

Potential options include Craig Berube, who led the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup championship in 2019, Gerard Gallant, a veteran coach with 17 seasons of NHL experience across four teams, and Todd McLellan, who recently parted ways with the Los Angeles Kings after 19 seasons of coaching in the league.

Alternatively, if Treliving decides to pursue a fresh face, he could look to the collegiate ranks. David Carle, head coach of the University of Denver, has guided the Pioneers to two NCAA men's titles in the past three years and also led the U.S. men's national junior team to a World Junior Championship gold medal in January.