RWJC Posted May 22 Posted May 22 (edited) New Jersey Devils To Name Sheldon Keefe Head Coach May 22nd, 2024 at 4:22pm CST • By Brennan McClain In a report from ‘Rear Admiral’ of the popular hockey podcast, Spittin Chiclets, and later confirmed by TSN’s Darren Dreger, the New Jersey Devils are set on making Sheldon Keefetheir next head coach. Dreger later reported that it would be a four-year deal for Keefe in New Jersey, including the two years remaining on his old contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. For the entirety of his coaching career at the professional level, Keefe as only known life inside the Maple Leafs organization. After a successful stint with the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, Keefe was named head coach of Toronto’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, at the start of the 2015-16 AHL season. In four and a half years, Keefe coached the Marlies to a 200-89-22-9 record over 320 games, including the team’s only Calder Cup Championship in 2018. After former head coach Mike Babcock was unceremoniously let go by Toronto partway through the 2019-20 NHL season, Keefe was given the job, keeping his position until only a few weeks ago. In 349 games spent behind the bench for the Maple Leafs, Keefe coached the team to a 212-97-40 record including a North Division title in his first full year. Unfortunately, just like the 21 head coaches preceding Keefe in Toronto, he could not coach the team to the Stanley Cup Finals during his tenure, even while boasting one of the best lineups on paper. In 37 postseason games, while coaching the Maple Leafs, Keefe could only accrue a .432 win percentage, making it beyond the first round once in five years. Now moving to New Jersey, Keefe will once again have star-studded talent at his disposal. After an exciting 2022-23 regular season for the franchise, the Devils had a dramatic 31-point drop, finishing well below expectations. Because of this, the General Manager of the Devils, Tom Fitzgerald, decided to relieve Lindy Ruff of his head coaching duties after 61 games of the 2023-24 season. With interim head coach Travis Green not faring any better in the last 21 games, New Jersey’s front office pursued a bigger fish. Heading into the 2024-25 NHL season, the Devils already look to be one of the non-playoff teams from this season to make it into next year’s postseason. Possessing top young talent such as Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Luke Hughes, and Simon Nemec, New Jersey also holds top veteran talent such as Timo Meierand Dougie Hamilton. If the Devils can procure a top goaltender this offseason, Keefe should find quite a bit of success with this organization. https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/05/new-jersey-devils-to-name-sheldon-keefe-head-coach.html#ref=home Edited May 22 by RWJC 1 Quote
Shekky Posted May 22 Posted May 22 1 minute ago, Ghostsof1915 said: Musical coaching chairs? no kidding lol on a side note New Jersey started this past season out strong but fell off a cliff after "The Other Hughes" got injured during the season. A coaching change and some new line mates for them will help them get into the playoffs. Quote
King Heffy Posted May 23 Posted May 23 New Jersey really has had a rough year going from Green to this idiot. Gotta be brutal going from Ruff to 2 idiots who aren't qualified to coach professionals at any level. 2 Quote
Alflives Posted May 23 Posted May 23 1 minute ago, King Heffy said: New Jersey really has had a rough year going from Green to this idiot. Gotta be brutal going from Ruff to 2 idiots who aren't qualified to coach professionals at any level. Devils are a soft team with cowardly top minute players. Keefe has recent experience with these types. 2 Quote
Elias Pettersson Posted May 23 Posted May 23 From one soft team to another. Keefe should feel right at home with Hughes and Bratt in the lineup, guys that have no clue how to play defence... Quote
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