Why Sheldon Keefe took Devils HC job so quickly

The Maple Leafs may have more skill right now, with household names Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Mitch Marner and William Nylander leading the way. However, the Devils have a budding group that could soon rival Keefe's former team. 

New Jersey already has an established group of talented youngsters, with forward Jesper Bratt (22) and centers Jack Hughes (22) and Nico Hischier (25), all 25 years of age or younger. Meanwhile, forwards Dawson Mercer (22) and Alexander Holtz (22) are in position to take another step up on the offensive side, and defenseman Luke Hughes (20) and Simon Nemec (19) look primed to make an impact along the blue line for years to come. 

On the surface, Keefe arrives in Jersey with the unflattering stigma of a head coach who couldn't get a talented roster over the playoff hump following four first-round exits in five years with the organization. However, the Maple Leafs' struggles early in the postseason began well before the Keefe era.

Following a seventh opening-round exit in eight seasons, Toronto has finally committed to making significant changes. Not only has the franchise hired a Stanley Cup winner in Craig Berube to replace Keefe, but a shakeup at the top of the team's lineup could be next. This hints at far more significant problems within the organization than who manned the bench. 

Despite the first-round slip-ups, Keefe found success in Toronto that had eluded others before him. In 2022-23, he was the first head coach to lead the Maple Leafs to the second round of the playoffs since 2004. Likewise, he led the team to three consecutive 100-point seasons, a feat no other head coach had accomplished over the franchise's rich history. 

Keefe may not have been the only thing holding the Maple Leafs back, but that doesn't guarantee success with a new team. However, considering the Devils' wealth of young talent ready to be molded, he was right not to pass on the job, as it's probably his best shot at leading a winner.