Ad Blocker Placeholder
FRI FEB 21
10:20 3RD
CAN
2
USA
2
Live Tracker
SAT FEB 22
5:30 PM
MIN
-110
DET
T: 5.5
Preview
6:00 PM
EDM
-190
PHI
T: 6
Preview
8:00 PM
WSH
-155
PIT
T: 5.5
Preview
10:30 PM
NYR
-120
BUF
T: 6
Preview
11:00 PM
SEA
T: 6
FLA
-275
Preview
11:00 PM
COL
-135
NSH
T: 6
Preview
11:00 PM
DAL
-115
NJ
T: 5.5
Preview

Guy Boucher returns to NHL, headlines Sheldon Keefe's 'complete' Maple Leafs staff

TORONTO – Sheldon Keefe puts it right up there with the most “complete” coaching staff he’s headed up since he took over the Toronto Maple Leafs’ bench nearly four years ago.

Replacing power-play czar Spencer Carbery (who graduated to a head gig with the Washington Capitals) with 51-year-old Guy Boucher and adding another ring to the room with assistant Mike Van Ryn, Keefe will enter 2023’s training camp leading a five-man coaching crew.

“It's as complete a staff as we’ve had in my time,” Keefe proclaimed Thursday, taking a break from the long-awaited start to his vacation to discuss his new hires.

“I'm even more excited to dig in and get to work even further on preparing our team for camp and getting to know the individuals even that much more.”

Keefe excited for Maple Leafs' future amid hectic summer: 'I enjoy being busy'
Sheldon Keefe shares his thoughts on what has been a busy summer for him and the Maple Leafs, trying to find the right personnel fits for this team, and his status regarding a contract extension, saying it will 'work itself out over time'.
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 2:11
Loaded: 7.52%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 2:11
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    ×
    Sportsnet Logo
    It looks like you are using an ad blocker
    Please consider whitelisting sportsnet.ca

    Boucher has been out of the league since his firing from the Ottawa Senators in March of 2019, but he arrives in Toronto with more NHL head-coaching experience (424 games) and playoff series victories (four) than Keefe himself.

    General manager Brad Treliving — busy with free agency, plus contract negotiations with Ilya Samsonov, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander — tasked Keefe with finding the best support possible.

    And Keefe’s relationship with Boucher dates back years. The two coaches have kept in contact, and Keefe revealed that he had considered Boucher for a Leafs assistant role in off-seasons past.

    Boucher, in fact, came close to landing Toronto’s head job back in 2015, before club president Brendan Shanahan ultimately bet on Mike Babcock, the most in-demand free agent that summer.

    That Boucher has been out of the NHL for four years pushed Keefe to take his time in a thorough interview process.

    “I wouldn't call it hesitation necessarily, but that of course is why you probably spend even more time talking with him, in making sure that he still has that fire and that passion for coaching and is still in tune with what's happened in the league,” Keefe explained. “Guy has been connected with the league in his role in media. So that, in itself, helps ease some of that.

    “He’s very passionate about the power play, first and foremost. So, that was exciting right from the start.”

    Keefe excited about the passion and energy Boucher brings to Maple Leafs’ power-play
    Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe describes what roles new assistant coaches Guy Boucher and Mike Van Ryn will bring behind the bench, and is excited for the passion, energy and experience Boucher will bring to their already elite power-play.
    Video Player is loading.
    Current Time 0:00
    Duration 3:46
    Loaded: 4.38%
    Stream Type LIVE
    Remaining Time 3:46
     
    1x
      • Chapters
      • descriptions off, selected
      • captions off, selected
      • en (Main), selected
      ×
      Sportsnet Logo
      It looks like you are using an ad blocker
      Please consider whitelisting sportsnet.ca

      Boucher will be responsible for enhancing the Eastern Conference’s most dangerous 5-on-4 unit, a group that has now added expert quarterback John Klingberg.

      The 44-year-old Van Ryn, a 353-game NHL D-man, is a London, Ont., native who finished his pro career with the Maple Leafs in 2009. He then developed his coaching resume in the OHL (Niagara IceDogs, Kitchener Rangers) and AHL (Houston Aeros, Tucson Roadrunners) before joining the St. Louis Blues bench in 2018-19 and promptly winning a Stanley Cup while overseeing their burly blue line.

      Van Ryn takes over the defence corps and will pitch in on Toronto’s 12th-ranked penalty kill, which will remain the primary responsibility of assistant Dean Chynoweth.

      All four men will stand on the bench and collaborate, while faceoff specialist Manny Malhotra moves up to an “eye in the sky” position during games.

      Toss in goalie coach Curtis Sanford, video coaches Sam Kim and Jordan Bean, plus coaching development associate Duanté Abercrombie, and the Leafs have spared no expense on men with whistles.

      “These are very important hires,” Keefe said.

      “I'm very fortunate that we have an organization here that will provide me with any of the resources that I think can help us win, and there's no hesitation to add an additional guy to our staff. And because of that, I think you just get excited.

      “You feel really confident that with the resources you have, you're going to — most importantly — be able to provide the players with everything that they need to be at their best.”

      Keefe has been all-in on Leafs' coaching hires, but really likes Treliving's roster additions
      Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe has been mainly focused on filling his coaching staff so far, but also really likes what additions new GM Brad Treliving has made, and now can dig into his roster the rest of this off-season.
      Video Player is loading.
      Current Time 0:00
      Duration 0:54
      Loaded: 18.33%
      Stream Type LIVE
      Remaining Time 0:54
       
      1x
        • Chapters
        • descriptions off, selected
        • captions off, selected
        • en (Main), selected
        ×
        Sportsnet Logo
        It looks like you are using an ad blocker
        Please consider whitelisting sportsnet.ca

        As for Keefe himself, the head coach is entering the final season of his own contract with Toronto. He appears unworried that his extension talks with Treliving have taken a back seat during a hectic Maple Leafs off-season.

        “It's something that's been mentioned a number of times from Brad, that we're going to get to that. Really, both of us have been focused on our own individual goals,” Keefe said.

        “Brad has a number of other things that are at the top of the list for him. I'm not too concerned about it at this point in time.

        “I’ve really just enjoyed my time working with Brad and have been so focused on this process that the other stuff, to me, will work itself out over time.”

        NHL NEWS

        More Headlines

        COMMENTS

        When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.