Maple Leafs coach Keefe, GM Dubas to return next season
No significant changes expected after latest first-round exit in playoffs
By
Dave McCarthy
NHL.com Independent Correspondent
They received a vote of confidence despite Toronto losing its first Stanley Cup Playoff series for a sixth consecutive season. Shanahan also said he does not expect significant changes to the roster in the offseason.
"I think it's important to state that I see both of them (Keefe and Dubas) as being extremely important in getting us to the next level," Shanahan said.
"We share in everybody's frustration in not getting the job done. Certainly as we look forward to next year, there's always going to be new faces. That being said, we will not be making changes just simply for the sake of saying we made changes."
The Maple Leafs, who set their records with 54 wins and 115 points this season, blew a 3-2 series lead to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference First Round, losing 4-3 in overtime in Game 6 on Thursday and 2-1 in Game 7 on Saturday.
"I think that the regular season and the playoff series, the way that the group played was different," Dubas said. "I didn't feel in Games 5, 6 or 7 that we were on our heels or reacting to another team dictating to us the way the game was going to go. I didn't feel like in the previous years where we were passive."
Keefe, who is under contract through the 2023-24 season, is 116-50-19 in 185 regular-season games since replacing Mike Babcock as coach during the 2019-20 season. He is 8-11 in the playoffs.
Dubas was named GM following the 2017-18 season.
In its past nine chances to eliminate an opponent, Toronto is 0-9 dating to Game 7 of the 2018 first round against the Boston Bruins. Still, Keefe expressed faith in the core players, who include forwards Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitchell Marner and William Nylander, and defensemen Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin.
"I have tremendous belief in our group and continue to have tremendous belief in our group and the effort that they gave us," Keefe said. "In particular, I felt that we really stepped up and leaned in in key moments and pushed and were not afraid of losing. We were aggressive in our approach and the mindset of our team that we built during the regular season, that came out in the playoffs against a very tough opponent. We did not get the results we want and that stings, mostly because of the belief we have in the group and what we accomplished together. I believe that progress was made, even though it's hard to feel that way because we're here again talking at the end of the first round."
Dubas said that the failure is a test of resolve throughout the organization to continue on the charted course.
"It's easy to say you believe at the beginning of the year, that you believe when you've won," Dubas said, "but I think in these moments where you have not reached the potential that everyone knows that you have and that you especially internally know that you have, that's when true belief is measured. I do believe in the group."
As with any offseason, though, there will be changes. The challenge for Dubas will be to improve the team despite limited space under the NHL salary cap.
"We need to replicate in most regards the way that we operated last summer," Dubas said, "and going out and being able to find players that are able to come in and add to our group and do so at not a very high cost but by being able to take advantage of the opportunity and flourishing."
The most notable pending free agent for the Maple Leafs is goalie Jack Campbell, who can become an unrestricted free agent July 13. He was 31-9-6 with a 2.64 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and five shutouts in 49 regular-season games (47 starts) this season, his first full season as the No. 1 goalie, and was named to his first NHL All-Star Game. The 30-year-old was 3-4 with a 3.15 GAA and .897 save percentage, starting all seven playoff games.
"Winning here means everything to me," Campbell said. "I love the city of Toronto, I love the fans, the support and my teammates are absolutely incredible, the coaching staff, really everything."
Dubas said he will begin discussions with Campbell's representatives shortly. The goalie said he will leave negotiations to his agents but did refer to himself returning.
"I can't wait to see what we can do as a team and myself personally next season," Campbell said.
Defenseman Mark Giordano, who was acquired in a trade with the Seattle Kraken on March 20, also can become an unrestricted free agent. The 38-year-old had 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in 20 regular-season games, and two assists in seven playoff games.
"Everyone knows I'm from Toronto, I love it here, I've loved my time here," Giordano said. "I'll talk to my agent in the next week and go from there. I don't think it's a secret I've enjoyed my time here.
"I feel pretty good about my game and feel like I'm a guy who can also help young guys along the way. I felt good, keep training hard and hopefully keep going for a few more years."
Forward Jason Spezza, who completed his third consecutive one-year contract with the Maple Leafs, is another pending unrestricted free agent. The 38-year-old had 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 71 regular-season games but was a healthy scratch at times late in the season and in the first two games of the playoffs. He had two assists in five playoff games.
Spezza said he has not contemplated his future.
"I love the game, I've always maintained that if I can provide significance to the group, if I'm a contributor every night, then I want to play," Spezza said. "So there's conversations that have to be had with me and management and coaches, but this is the only place I would play."
Even though the Maple Leafs again did not win a playoff series, Matthews, who set a Toronto record with 60 goals during the regular season, said the players feel they'll eventually find a way to break through.
"Yeah we do," Matthews said. "I believe it. Everybody in this room believes it. I don't think we can really concern ourselves with the opinions of others, the media, fans and what other people think. I know deep down in this room we all believe in each other. It's a tough pill to swallow, but I don't think that belief has ever wavered."
