Maple Leafs and coach Sheldon Keefe agree to a two-year extension

Sheldon Keefe’s future as the head coach of the Maple Leafs is assured.

Not that there was any concern that Keefe’s job was at stake, but Keefe and the Leafs agreed to a two-year extension that will begin next season, as reported by TSN and confirmed by The Star.

Keefe, 41, is entering the final year of a three-year contract.

Keefe replaced Mike Babcock a few weeks into the 2019-20 season and has coached the Leafs to a 62-29-12 record. His teams have made the postseason in both years but, like Babcock’s, they haven’t made it past the first round.

This will be the first full season under Keefe. The previous two seasons have been shortened by the coronavirus pandemic. The Leafs played 56 games last season, after just one week of training camp, with games restricted to other Canadian teams.

The Leafs will continue to pay Babcock $ 5.875 million (US) annually through June 30, 2023.