Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas, coach Sheldon Keefe safe after first-round exit

The Toronto Maple Leafs finished the 2021-22 NHL regular season third among all Eastern Conference clubs with 115 points but fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round of the playoffs despite holding a 3-2 lead in the series. 

As ESPN's Greg Wyshynski explained, Toronto fans have gotten used to such heartbreaks, as the Maple Leafs have now suffered six consecutive first-round postseason exits. Despite the club's failure to advance, team president Brendan Shanahan insisted on Tuesday that general manager Kyle Dubas and coach Sheldon Keefe will remain in their roles. 

"We're extremely disappointed," Shanahan admitted. "We're not going to make any excuses. I thought our players battled hard, I thought that they played well, and they lost to a great hockey team. 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 that we made changes."

Dubas was named general manager in May 2018, while Keefe accepted his current role in November 2019. 

"As we look forward to next year, and getting to work towards next year, I think it's important to state that I see both of them as being extremely important in getting us to the next level so that when we do approach next year, and we do come back, that we are ready to take that next step," Shanahan said of the two. 

Previously, Michael Traikos of the Toronto Sun argued the Maple Leafs should part ways with Keefe and hire Barry Trotz, who was fired by the New York Islanders last week. The Winnipeg Jets are interviewing Trotz for their open head coaching position.