The NHL coaching carousel continues to be quite active as the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue. The New Jersey Devils have hired former Toronto Maple Leafs bench boss Sheldon Keefe as the franchise’s next head coach.
Keefe spent the last five seasons as the Maple Leafs head coach before being fired following the team’s first-round playoff exit earlier this month.
Keefe, 43, tallied a 212-97-40 regular-season record as the Maple Leafs head coach and those 212 wins are the fifth-most in franchise history. His points percentage (.665) also ranks first among all head coaches in Maple Leafs history.
The former Maple Leafs head coach became the second-fastest coach to reach the 200-win mark in their NHL career behind only former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma. Toronto made a playoff appearance in all five of Keefe’s seasons behind the bench.
Starting with Mike Babcock resigning from the Columbus Blue Jackets last September, there have been 12 NHL coaching changes in 2023-24, and several of those teams still need to figure out who will be behind the bench for the 2024-25 season.
Three teams fired their head coaches in the middle of the season and immediately appointed a new full-time bench boss. The Edmonton Oilers made the switch from Jay Woodcroft to Kris Knoblauch, the Minnesota Wild replaced Dean Evason with John Hynes and the New York Islanders hired Patrick Roy on the heels of firing Lane Lambert.
Keep track of every NHL coaching carousel hiring and firing below.
In a surprising move, the New Jersey Devils have named Sheldon Keefe as their new head coach, replacing interim coach Alain Nasreddine. Keefe, who previously served as the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of success to the Devils.
Keefe’s coaching career began in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he led the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to great success, including a league championship in 2015. He then moved on to coach the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League (AHL), where he won a Calder Cup championship in 2018.
In 2019, Keefe was promoted to head coach of the Maple Leafs, where he had a successful tenure, leading the team to a playoff appearance in each of his two full seasons behind the bench. However, after a disappointing first-round exit in the 2021 playoffs, Keefe was let go by the Maple Leafs.
Now, Keefe will look to bring his winning ways to the Devils, who have struggled in recent years. With a talented young core that includes players like Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, Keefe will have the opportunity to mold a competitive team in New Jersey.
The Devils’ decision to hire Keefe represents a bold move by the organization, as they look to turn around their fortunes and return to playoff contention. Keefe’s proven track record of success at both the AHL and NHL levels makes him a strong candidate to lead the Devils back to prominence in the league.
Fans of the Devils will be eager to see how Keefe’s coaching style and strategies will impact the team’s performance on the ice. With his experience and success in developing young talent, there is optimism that Keefe can help guide the Devils to success in the near future.
Overall, the hiring of Sheldon Keefe as head coach of the New Jersey Devils represents an exciting new chapter for the team and its fans. With his proven track record of success and ability to develop young talent, Keefe has the potential to lead the Devils back to playoff contention and beyond.
