Calls for Leafs to replace Sheldon Keefe with Bruce Bourdreau

Toronto Star columnist and former Hockey Night in Canada analyst Damien Cox made headlines across the hockey world earlier today with a column calling for the Toronto Maple Leafs to fire head coach Sheldon Keefe and replace him with coaching free agent Bruce Boudreau.

You read that correctly... the 4th overall Leafs should fire their coach according to Cox.

More from Cox:

Sheldon Keefe, your time is up.

Bruce Boudreau, your timing is finally right.

This Maple Leafs team clearly needs a jolt, and it’s time to determine whether a change behind the bench could be that something.

- Damien Cox

Sure, the Leafs have stagnated recently, but again they're 4th overall in a VERY competitive division. I understand that the Leafs have struggled in the post-season and that the team's fanbase is a bit neurotic, but this is a bit silly. Suggesting that the team can its head coach in the middle of February is peak "Leafs centric media" in my mind. It's very on-brand for a media group that obsesses over this team and its foibles. 

More from Cox:

But Boudreau is a veteran coach with a reputation as a quick turnaround artist. Moreover, Boudreau was born in Toronto, grew up here, starred for the junior Marlboros and repeatedly tried, unsuccessfully, to become a regular for his hometown Maple Leafs. He knows this market inside and out. He’s proven time and time again his talent lies in getting underachieving teams to play better in the short term.

The beauty of the 68-year-old Boudreau is that he could be a short-term fix. If it works and the team gets by the Bolts, then you consider a longer contract. If the Leafs fall again in the first round, there’s a decent chance Dubas gets pink-slipped and the new GM could then pick his own coach.

- Damien Cox

Look, I love Boudreau as much as the next guy, but he's absolutely NOT the guy you bring in when you're looking to snap a team to attention. Boudreau is the best example of a "player's coach" that there is. He's not a task master and he's not a drill sergeant. If you're looking for this team to tighten up and get serious, Boudreau isn't your guy... he's much better at being the guy who REPLACES the task master and allows everyone to breathe a little bit. 

Personally, I don't think it's the right time for the Leafs to make a change and even if it were, I don't think Boudreau would be a good fit. Thoughts, Leafs fans?