Maple Leafs' Sheldon Keefe Becomes Longest-Tenured NHL Head Coach in Canada Following the Senators' Dismissal of D.J. Smith

But now, it's Keefe. The 43-year-old was hired as Toronto's bench boss on Nov. 19, 2019, after the team fired Mike Babcock. 

Keefe was brought in two years and three months before the next longest-tenured head coach in Canada, Martin St. Louis. The Montreal Canadiens hired him on Feb. 9, 2022, following the firing of then-head coach Dominque Ducharme.

The Maple Leafs head coach is still the fifth longest-tenured head coach in the NHL, behind Todd McLellan (LA Kings, April 16, 2019-present), Rod Brind'Amour (Carolina Hurricanes, May 8, 2018-present), Jared Bednar (Colorado Avalanche, Aug. 25, 2016-present), Mike Sullivan (Pittsburgh Penguins, Dec. 12, 2015-present), and Jon Cooper (Tampa Bay Lightning, Mar. 25, 2013-present).

Going back to Smith, he and Keefe have a relationship going all the way back to their days battling as coaches in the OHL. But the two were briefly in the Maple Leafs organization together, with Smith being an assistant to Babcock and Keefe as the head coach of the Toronto Marlies.

Keefe, on Tuesday, ahead of Toronto's matchup against the New York Rangers, was asked about the ongoing NHL coaching carousel. He said it was unfortunate to see Smith let go by Ottawa, but that it's a part of the business.

"It's the way it goes, unfortunately," Keefe said. "But specific to D.J., I think he's a great coach, and he's a great person probably more importantly. Someone that I've enjoyed competing against, both at the junior level and then getting to know him in the time working in the organization, and then down the road in Ontario, in Ottawa there. 

"So to me, I've seen him do a really good job under not always the most ideal circumstances, but it's tough news yesterday. Any time you see that go, and he's not the only one that has been let go this season and it's tough. But I'm sure, he, like the others, are all quality coaches that will land on their feet and there's opportunities for others now."

During Keefe's tenure in Toronto, the Maple Leafs have put up a 166-71-30 record during the regular season, a .621 winning percentage. Keefe headed the Maple Leafs to their first playoff series win since 2004 last May. His playoff record with Toronto is 13-17, a .433 winning percentage.

Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving signed Keefe to a two-year extension in late August. In a press conference that followed, Treliving called Keefe "a top coach" that they wanted to keep in the organization. 

They did just that and now he's the longest-tenured NHL head coach in Canada.