NHL fines Leafs $100K for holiday travel, Keefe $25K for conduct toward refs

The NHL sent the Toronto Maple Leafs a pair of bills Wednesday.

Toronto was fined $100,000 for violating a rule prohibiting team activities over the holiday break, the league announced. Additionally, head coach Sheldon Keefe has been docked $25,000 for "demeaning conduct directed at the officials" during Tuesday night's win over the St. Louis Blues.

Article 16.5(b) of the NHL's CBA states Dec. 24, 25, and 26 are to be off days "for all purposes, including travel."

The Leafs were supposed to fly to St. Louis just after midnight ET on Tuesday, but they departed shortly before 10:30 p.m. on Monday, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The team's rationale was because St. Louis is at least a 90-minute flight, it'd be preferable to leave at night and arrive then as players are used to, as opposed to departing at 5 a.m., Friedman adds.

Keefe's frustrations boiled over early in the third period of the Leafs' 5-4 overtime win Tuesday. He initially appeared to be upset about a potential goaltender interference violation on the Blues' tying goal, but he was in fact incensed about a pick on Leafs defenseman Jordie Benn earlier in the play.

We haven't had a nice Sheldon Keefe meltdown in a while pic.twitter.com/DuQPfMC0E8

- Rink Rat Report (@RinkRatReport) December 28, 2022

The Toronto bench boss also lost his cool when Brandon Saad of the Blues high-sticked Zach Aston-Reese late in the third period.

The Leafs are heading to Arizona to clash with the Coyotes on Thursday. They'll then fly to Denver to face the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday before coming home to host the Blues on Jan. 3.

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