The New Jersey Devils’ head coaching search is over. Sheldon Keefe has been named the 31st head coach in franchise history.
Rear Admiral of Spittin’ Chiclets Podcast was the first to report. Sources confirmed with New Jersey Hockey Now.
Darren Dreger of TSN reports it is a four-year contract for Keefe in New Jersey.
A press conference to introduce Keefe will be announced at a later date.
Keefe, 43, formerly coached the Toronto Maple Leafs in the last five seasons dating back to 2019. Keefe took over the Maple Leafs bench on November 20th, 2019 after Toronto’s President, Brendan Shanahan relieved former head coach Mike Babcock of his duties. He was signed to a three-year contract and posted a 15–4–1 record in his first 20 games ahead coach, the best start of any head coach in Toronto’s 102-year history.
Keefe inherited a talented group of players consisting of much of the same core on the roster today such as Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares.
In each of the five seasons behind Toronto’s bench, Keefe coached Toronto to a .622 points percentage or more. Keefe’s downfall ultimately came in his playoff resume, failing to reach the second round of the playoffs in four out of five postseasons, and losing in the second round in 2023 to the Florida Panthers who went on to reach the Stanley Cup Final.
Now, Keefe is inheriting a young, talented group of Devils players that consist of Jack Hughes & Luke Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and Simon Nemec, as well as a few older, talented players in Timo Meier and Dougie Hamilton.
Other coaching candidates General Manager Tom Fitzgerald considered were Jay Woodcroft, Craig Berube, Ryan Warsofsky and Todd McLellan.
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