Reports: Leafs to speak with Keefe, Nolan to WHL

The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly received permission from the Soo Greyhounds to speak to Sheldon Keefe.

A report on Sportsnet.ca this evening says the National Hockey League team has requested permission from the Greyhounds to speak to the Greyhounds bench boss but an interview has not been scheduled.

Keefe is reportedly at the top of the Leafs list of replacements for outgoing Toronto Marlies Coach Gord Dineen.

“I will discuss it with Sheldon, but he’s not the only coach that we’ll discuss it with,” Maple Leafs Assistant General Manager Kyle Dubas told Sportsnet’s Luke Fox. “We’re in the process of seeking permissions elsewhere as well.

Dineen was relieved of his duties on Tuesday afternoon though he has been offered a position to remain with the American Hockey League team as an associate coach.

“The decision was based on the fact that we’re undergoing a big organizational shift in philosophy,” Dubas, the former general manager of the Greyhounds, also said. “Part of that is wanting to bring in an elite young coach we can groom along here.”

Dineen had been the Marlies coach for less than a year as he was promoted by the organization on July 15, 2014.

“If we had gone through and had a poor year, it would’ve been easy (to demote Dineen). But the fact we did make the playoffs, it made it more difficult,” Dubas said. “Gord’s one of the most wonderful people that I’ve worked with in hockey. Once we find a head coach, we’ll let him sit with Gord and see if Gord’s comfortable (with remaining as an associate). And it; he’s comfortable and other opportunities haven’t arisen for him, then we’ll move ahead with that.”

Marlies Associate Coach Derek King was also relieved of his duties while Assistant Coach Ben Simon was offered another position with the team.

Keefe led the Greyhounds to a 54-12-2 record during the 2014-15 season and has a career record of 121-41-3-10 in just under three seasons with the organization.

The Maple Leafs are also in the process of hiring a new general manager and head coach at the National Hockey League level.

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In other coaching news, Ted Nolan had reportedly discussed a coaching vacancy with the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants.

The Vancouver Province is reporting that Nolan has interest in the position.

Nolan, who was relieved of his duties as head coach of the Buffalo Sabres in April after the NHL team finished the 2014-15 season with a 23-51-8 record.

The Giants finished the 2014-15 WHL season with a 27-41-2-2 record and missed the WHL: playoffs. Nolan would replace former NHL coach Claude Noel, who was hired in Nov. 2014 and had a record of 17-23-2-2 after joining the team.

Noel was fired by the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets during the 2013-14 season and, according to the Vancouver Province, was being paid by the Jets as Noel had a year remaining on his contract when he was let go. The Giants in turn paid the Jets the equivalent of a WHL salary for a coach.