The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Mike Babcock.
Few people in the hockey world thought that Babcock would have been given his walking papers at this stage.
Toronto Maple Leafs President and Alternate Governor Brendan Shanahan announced today that Mike Babcock has been relieved of his coaching duties and Sheldon Keefe has been named the Club’s new head coach. #LeafsForever
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) November 20, 2019
Brian Burke thought the final discussion would not have occurred until after the current road trip. They play the Coyotes and Colorado before returning to the east coast for a game with Detroit.
The Leafs have lost six in a row and are out of a playoff position.
Babcock, 56, was brought in as part of a rebuild of the team in the spring of 2015. He signed a contract at $50-million USD over eight years.
(Sheldon Keefe via the Toronto Maple Leafs.)
He has been replaced by Sheldon Keefe, who was in his fifth season coaching the AHL’s Marlies. Keefe becomes the 31st head coach of the Maple Leafs.
Toronto is the parent team of both the Marlies and the Newfoundland Growlers.
