Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe expressed his frustration with his team’s response after a collision between Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand and Toronto defenseman Timothy Liljegren during Thursday night’s 3-2 shootout loss. Keefe was disappointed in the lack of reaction from the Leafs players.
In the incident, Marchand and Liljegren were both going for a loose puck in the corner. When they made contact, their feet got tangled, causing Liljegren to awkwardly hit the boards. Liljegren had to leave the game and was later diagnosed with a high ankle sprain. Keefe announced on Saturday that Liljegren would be placed on LTIR.
When questioned about the team’s lack of response, Keefe didn’t mince his words.
“I hated everything about it,” Keefe said. “I’ve addressed it.”
Keefe acknowledged that some players may not have seen the incident, but he expects his team to stand up for and support one another in such situations.
“In the heat of the moment, some guys might not fully understand what happened, and it can be difficult to process,” Keefe explained. “This is not the kind of team we want to be. We’ve had strong responses in similar situations before. We need to be consistent going forward. We’ve addressed it.”
The Leafs recently signed veteran Ryan Reaves in the offseason to add physicality and toughness to the lineup. However, Reaves did not have the opportunity to confront Marchand because the Bruins had the advantage of the last line change as the home team. Keefe also emphasized that the responsibility of sending a message should not solely fall on Reaves.
“Brad Marchand isn’t concerned about Ryan Reaves or anyone else in the league,” Keefe stated. “That’s already established. It’s more about the team’s response. There are many other players wearing Bruins colors, and we can make their lives more difficult. It’s about uplifting our team.”
It remains to be seen whether the Maple Leafs will display more intensity when they face the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night. However, the next matchup against the Bruins, which will take place on Saturday, December 2, will be particularly intriguing.
