It's not easy playing in a hockey mecca like Toronto, and former Leafs coach <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_Keefe' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Sheldon Keefe</a> has just exposed how hard coaching in that city was for him. One of the toughest jobs in the NHL is coaching <a href='https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the Toronto Maple Leafs</a>, and after five seasons with just one playoff series win, <a href='https://www.hockeylatest.com/nhl-team/toronto-maple-leafs/toronto-maple-leafs-fire-head-coach-sheldon-keefe-after-playoff-exit' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Sheldon Keefe parted ways with the organization this past summer</a>. Keefe wasted no time finding a new home as he joined the New Jersey Devils; he has spoken out about the large contrast between the high level of scrutiny in Toronto versus that in <a href='https://www.nhl.com/devils/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>New Jersey</a>. The daily pressure he was under, day in and day out in Canada, became incessant in making every decision and interaction one had on or off the ice. This is encapsulated in an exchange that took place recently between Keefe and a Devils reporter after a pre-season defeat. Keefe apologized for the loss, to which he received a much lighter response: It's only pre-season. In that little interaction lay the corroborating difference between Toronto and anywhere else, as even an irrelevant pre-season game in Toronto feels colossal. Expectations within Toronto never really lessened, never leaving room for mistakes or a lack thereof, regardless of context. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/annikadevils/status/1838243644261703933'> </a></blockquote></div> That isn't to say there isn't pressure in New Jersey. The Devils have high expectations for the upcoming 2024-25 season with a roster full of talent such as Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier. But for the large part, the scrutiny isn't quite as all-consuming as it was for Keefe in Toronto. The media and <a href='https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/latest-news/devils-sheldon-keefe-provides-update-on-erik-haula' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>fan base in New Jersey</a> are a little more forgiving, especially in the early parts of the season. The Leafs, meanwhile, shifted to Craig Berube, who knows a thing or two about navigating high-pressure situations. A Stanley Cup victory with <a href='https://www.nhl.com/blues/' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>the St. Louis Blues</a> proved he could handle the heat, and that is exactly what Toronto needs as they continue in pursuit of hockey's ultimate prize. With Auston Matthews now leading the team as captain, expectations remain very high. But in the end, it's part of the NHL, only in Toronto, it takes on a whole other dimension. Sheldon Keefe's tenure exposed the unique challenges of coaching in a hockey-mad market, and now the burden shifts to <a href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Berube' class='lien_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Craig Berube </a> and Auston Matthews to deliver where others have fallen short.