Sheldon Keefe Appointed as New Jersey Devils' Head Coach: Examining Its Effects on Rising Talents and Playoff Aspirations

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024

The New Jersey Devils have appointed Sheldon Keefe as their head coach, according to a source who spoke on Wednesday.

The contract for Keefe is understood to be a four-year agreement valued at $21 million.

At the age of 43, Keefe found himself without a role at the Toronto Maple Leafs following their first-round exit in the playoffs, leading to his termination in May. His position was subsequently filled by Craig Berube.

Despite having years left on his contract extension with the Maple Leafs, the financial obligations for those years will no longer fall on the team.

Keefe's tenure with the Leafs was marked by consistent playoff appearances each season and a playoff series victory in 2023. He amassed a record of 212 wins, 97 losses, and 40 ties during his time with the team.

Before this, Keefe had a stint as a player in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning and held coaching roles with the OHL's Soo Greyhounds and the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

The decision to bring on Keefe came after the Devils did not make the playoffs and saw a significant drop in their performance, trailing their previous season's points tally by 31.

Keefe was considered a strong fit for the Devils owing to his track record in nurturing top young talents, an asset considering the Devils' roster comprises luminaries like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Luke Hughes.

In their search for a new coach, the Devils also evaluated other prominent figures such as Berube, Jay Woodcroft, and Todd McLellan.

Brian McGonagle, a writer based in Boston, was the first to report on Keefe's hiring.

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