Sheldon Keefe has made a vow.
Not necessarily silence, but the Maple Leafs coach will try to keep his ideas to himself behind the bench.
He will be a little lighter on his wallet, as the National Hockey League announced on Thursday that Keefe was fined $25,000 for “unprofessional conduct directed at the officials,” a punishment that follows Keefe’s ejection in the final minutes of the Leafs’ 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday.
That night, during his post-game press conference, Keefe refused to discuss his dismissal.
Keefe was less reserved on Thursday morning, following the Leafs’ morning skate at Scotiabank Arena, only hours before the team faced the Arizona Coyotes.
“There is a fine line between being a voice for the players at different times so that they don’t have to be and they can focus on playing,” he said. “Really, all I’ll say is that my job as a coach is to be focused on the next moment and what’s coming up.
“I don’t believe I lost control the other night, but I am not focusing on the appropriate things. My job is to stay focused on the correct things. The players’ role is to stay focused on the proper thing.
“I’ll do better in that area. It is an opportunity for me to reflect and grow from it.”
Keefe, who has never been shy about expressing his thoughts to on-ice officials during games, was removed at 17:46 of the third period by referee Garrett Rank after appearing to argue about a tripping call on Mitch Marner.
What does Keefe’s emotional outburst mean for the bench?
“It motivates you,” Auston Matthews explained. “You appreciate the coach having the guys’ backs.”
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