Sports

Toronto Maple Leafs Sack Head Coach Sheldon Keefe

Published

1 week ago

2024-05-10

Toronto Maple Leafs Sack Head Coach Sheldon Keefe

The Toronto Maple Leafs sacked head coach Sheldon Keefe just days after losing their first-round series to the Boston Bruins in seven games.

“Today’s decision was difficult,” Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving stated. “Sheldon is an exceptional coach and a kind man; nonetheless, we felt that a new voice is required to help the team push forward to achieve our ultimate goal.

We applaud Sheldon for his nine years of hard work and dedication to the organization and wish him and his family the best.

Keefe took over as Maple Leafs head coach in November 2019, after Mike Babcock. He guided the squad to a 212-97-40 record over five seasons, including three consecutive 100-point seasons.

While Keefe led the club to regular-season success, they fell short in the postseason.

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-round struggles have been well-documented, with the team only making it to the second round once since 2004. That one time, in 2022-23, Keefe was in power.

Toronto Maple Leafs playoff streak

However, three first-round exits (all in seven games) and a qualifying round loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs increased the pressure on management to make a change.

The Maple Leafs have the NHL’s longest ongoing playoff streak at eight seasons, but seven of those have ended in the first round. After trailing 3-1 against the Bruins and forcing a Game 7, they lost 2-1 in overtime in the last game.

When Keefe was hired as NHL head coach, he had never done so before. If Treliving is looking for experience in the role, he can look to Craig Berube, who won a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Gerard Gallant, who has coached 17 seasons in the NHL with four teams, and Todd McLellan, who most recently coached the Los Angeles Kings and has 19 seasons of league experience.

If the Maple Leafs choose to go with a new face, Denver University’s David Carle has led the Pioneers to two of the last three NCAA men’s championships and led the United States men’s national junior team to World Junior Championship gold in January.
Another early-round loss indicated that changes were on the way, most likely starting with the head coach.

Keefe’s two-year contract extension, which he signed last summer following the appointment of general manager Brad Treliving, has not yet taken effect.

Source: CBC

Election News

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

Published

21 hours ago

2024-05-19

Kiara Grace

AP News - VOR News Image

IMOLA, ITALY Max – Verstappen defeated McLaren’s Lando Norris to win the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on Sunday, extending his Formula One championship lead.

Verstappen began on pole and led Norris from the start but was pushed by the McLaren driver near the end, winning by less than a second.

“I lost grip, especially in the closing 10 to 15 laps. I slid a lot. “I saw Lando closing in,” Verstappen explained. “It’s quite difficult when the tires are no longer working, and you have to run flat out, so I couldn’t afford to make too many mistakes. Thankfully, we didn’t, and we’re overjoyed to have won here today.”

AP – VOR News Image

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

It was the defending champion’s fifth victory in seven Grand Prix races this year, following Verstappen’s defeat by Norris in Miami two weeks ago.

Norris’ Second Place Sunday demonstrated the McLaren team’s credentials as the closest contender to Verstappen and Red Bull this season. “It hurts me to say it, but one or two more laps, I think I would have had him,” stated Norris. “It would have been beautiful, but just not today.”

Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari, the Italian team’s first podium finish in Imola since 2006.

Overtaking is always challenging on the narrow Imola track, and this year, asphalt run-off zones on key corners were replaced with gravel traps, discouraging risk-taking even more.

AP – VOR News Image

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

Leclerc got in on Norris midway through the race but made a mistake and ran across the grass, costing him time.

Oscar Piastri qualified second for McLaren but was relegated to fifth after a penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen in a Haas. He got ahead of Sainz during the pit stops and finished fourth, ahead of the Spanish driver.

Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion, and his teammate George Russell finished sixth and seventh following a challenging weekend for Mercedes.

Sergio Perez, Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate, began 11th following a mistake in qualifying and finished ninth. His major impact on the race came when he briefly held up Norris and Leclerc following their pit stops, thereby assisting Verstappen.

AP – VOR News Image

Max Verstappen Holds Off Lando Norris To Win Emilia Romagna Grand Prix And Extend F1 Lead

Yuki Tsunoda took ninth place for RB, while Lance Stroll finished tenth for Aston Martin.

Verstappen has a 48-point advantage over Leclerc, who has surged ahead of Perez to second place.

SOURCE – (AP)

Sports

Seize The Gray Win the Preakness 2024, Mystik Dan Finished Second

Published

2 days ago

2024-05-18

Geoff Thomas

Seize The Gray has won the Preakness 2024. Favorite and Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan finished second, halting his pursuit for the first Triple Crown since Justify in 2018, NBC Sports Reports.

Seize the Grey won the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland, on Saturday, defeating Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan and six other horses. Seize the Grey led from start to finish, with Kentucky Derby winner Mystik Dan in second place. Catching Freedom placed third.

D. Wayne Lukas, 88, becomes the oldest trainer in history to win a Triple Crown event. It marks his eighth Preakness victory in his career, tying Bob Baffert for second all-time. Lukas has won 15 Triple Crown races in his career.

Jaime Torres made a memorable Triple Crown debut with his triumph in Seize the Grey.

MyRacehorse owns Seize the Grey, and it sells thoroughbred “micro-shares” to the general public. There are 2,570 shareholders in Seize the Grey, representing 42 of the 50 states.

Seize the Grey is the Preakness’ 18th victory from the seventh post since 1909. No other post has resulted in more than 14 winners.

If Seize the Grey competes, his next race will be the 156th Belmont Stakes on June 8 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Preakness 2024 Full Race

Sports

Dallas Stars Eliminate Avalanche 2-1 With Double Overtime Win

Published

2 days ago

2024-05-18

Geoff Thomas

The Avalanche’s aspirations of returning to the Stanley Cup were dashed late Friday night when they lost 2-1 in double overtime against the Dallas Stars.

Former Avalanche player Matt Duchene scored the game-winning goal, allowing the Dallas Stars to advance to the Western Conference final.

Duchene, who began his professional career in Denver, grabbed a loose puck in front of the net and blasted it over a sprawled-out Alexandar Georgiev. Duchene raced down the ice and sank to his knees in celebration.

Dallas Stars will play either Edmonton Oilers or the Vancouver Cunucks next. The Dallas Stars are making their second straight trip to the conference finals, having fallen to eventual Stanley Cup champion Vegas last season. The Stars won their sole Stanley Cup championship in 1999.

This was a series in which the road team won five of six games, with the Stars winning all three in Denver. The Avalanche were the best home team throughout the regular season, while the Stars had the best away record.

After winning the Stanley Cup two years earlier, the Avalanche finished the season 50-25-7.