The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired Head Coach Mike Babcock.
The struggling Leafs have a record of 9-10-4 in 2019-20 and are 0-5-1 in their last six games, including five straight losses in regulation.
Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan flew to Arizona on Wednesday to break the news to Babcock along with General Manager Kyle Dubas.
Shanahan said that he felt he should be present because he hired Babcock in the spring of 2015.
''It wasn't an easy conversation to have and it wasn't pleasant, days like today are not,'' Shanahan said in Scottsdale, Arizona. ''But it was what we felt was important for the club. Once you realize there's something you should do, and have to do, then it's best to act on it.''
Toronto, two points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, fell 4-2 to the Golden Knights in Vegas on Tuesday night. Babcock's last win for the Leafs, on Nov. 7 against Vegas, was the 700th of his NHL career. He has a career record of 700-418-19 with Toronto, Detroit and Anaheim.
It was also announced on Wednesday that Sheldon Keefe would replace Babcock on the bench.
The 39-year-old, who has a long history with Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas, was in his fifth season as head coach of the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies. Keefe was 199-89-31 with the Marlies and helped secure the franchise's first Calder Cup championship in 2018.
— With files from Metro Sourc