The Toronto Marlies have named Sheldon Keefe as their new head coach, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced in a statement Monday.
Keefe, 34, has spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, the same organization that produced Maple Leafs interim co-GM Kyle Dubas.
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“As we went through this process, given our goal of finding an elite young coach to develop our prospects with the Marlies, it was clear to our management group that Sheldon Keefe was the best choice for our organization,” Dubas said in a statement. “For nearly a decade – since he arrived in Pembroke and through his time in Sault Ste. Marie – Sheldon has simply excelled at maximizing each player’s potential while coaching very successful teams at the same time.
“We feel we have a solid group of young prospects with the Marlies and we look forward to Sheldon leading them beginning with our Development Camp in early July.”
Keefe was recognized as both the 2014-15 CHL and OHL Coach of the Year awards after leading the Greyhounds to a league-best record of 54-12-0-2 and establishing a new franchise record with 110 points.
Prior to his tenure with the Greyhounds, Keefe served as head coach and general manager of the CCHL’s Pembroke Lumber Kings, capturing five straight league titles and a RBC Cup national title in 2011.
