Sheldon Keefe expects to remain with Marlies next season

The coach who just brought Toronto its first-ever Calder Cup is sticking around. For now, at least.

Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe, who led the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate to a title just days ago, told reporters Saturday that he fully expects to be back behind the Marlies bench next season. This despite garnering attention from several NHL clubs with coaching vacancies, though, according to Marlies GM Kyle Dubas, none have officially asked to speak with Keefe yet.

“I love coaching here. I learn every day,” he said, according to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnson. “We work with great people, great players. I love this city and I’m grateful for the opportunity that I have. I’ll just continue to work to make myself as prepared as possible for any calls that may come or that I hope may come in the future.”

As Johnson noted, Keefe’s made it clear that his primary goal as a professional is to be coaching in the NHL some day and he would, “have to carefully consider any opportunities at that level, be they for an assistant’s position or the head job.”

For now, he remains in the Big Smoke and that’s great news for a Maple Leafs organization that has seen its AHL club transform into one of the premier development programs in the world under the watchful eye of Keefe.

Keefe led the Marlies to the AHL’s best record this past season, and has compiled a 150-63-15 (.691) mark with two 54-win campaigns during his three years in Toronto. Keefe was hired in 2015 by Dubas, who was in charge of the Marlies until his recent promotion to Maple Leafs GM.

The pair worked together with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds prior to migrating to Toronto in 2015, with Dubas and Keefe boasting the roles of GM and head coach, respectively, during their time together in junior.

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