Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe signs multiyear extension - ESPN

The Toronto Maple Leafs are sticking with head coach Sheldon Keefe.

The Maple Leafs announced a multiyear contract extension for their bench boss Wednesday, putting to rest conversation about whether Keefe would remain with Toronto under new general manager Brad Treliving.

Keefe, whose previous deal was set to expire at the end of this coming season, has a 166-71-30 record with Toronto — his first NHL coaching gig — and ranks sixth overall in franchise wins.

The Maple Leafs set single-season franchise records for wins (54) and points (115) under Keefe in 2021-22 and have recorded back-to-back 50-win campaigns.

«Coaching this team has been a great privilege, and I'm truly excited at the opportunity to continue building towards our ultimate goal,» Keefe said in a press release. «I'm thankful for the support from MLSE and its ownership along with [team president] Brendan Shanahan and Brad Treliving, who I've really enjoyed getting to know and work with this off-season. We have so many great players and people within our organization that I'm grateful to work with, and together our commitment to team success remains steadfast.»

Keeping Keefe in the fold is a mark of consistency Toronto likely needed after its early offseason restructuring of the front office that saw former GM Kyle Dubas' contract not renewed. Dubas subsequently joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in May as GM and president of hockey operations.

Dubas promoted Keefe to Toronto's head coaching job in November 2019, when former coach Mike Babcock was fired. Keefe was coaching Toronto's American Hockey League affiliate at the time — a role Dubas also brought Keefe to originally in 2015 after the two had previously worked together as GM and coach of the Ontario