New Devils Coach Comes With Some Of The Same Questions That Haunted Prior Regime
The Devils made a safe choice on Thursday with their announced hiring of Sheldon Keefe as their next Head Coach.
Keefe was probably the most “accomplished” of the remaining candidates in the pool, since certain coaches that some speculated might break free like Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan, Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour, and Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper were all retained.
I put “accomplished” in quotes above because despite Keefe’s regular season success (212-97-40) over the last five seasons in Toronto, those star-studded Maple Leafs squads won only one playoff round (though previously Keefe was behind the bench for the Toronto Marlies 2018 AHL Calder Cup championship run).
The same issues that have hamstrung the Devils in recent years—namely inadequate defensive execution that was necessary to cover up substandard goaltending—were prevalent under Keefe’s watch in Toronto. One only needed to watch the small sample size of Devils/Leafs contests to deduce that, while entertaining, both clubs weren’t playing enough of the boring brand of hockey that typically determines outcomes in postseason action.
Every inch of playoff ice is contested, elevating the importance of little things like blocked shots, wall battles, and tying up sticks in the dangerous areas. Those details have to be ingrained during regular season play. Inconsistencies won’t cut it.
The high-end skill, of which both the Devils and Leafs possess in spades, is of course a crucial component to postseason advancement. However, because the top players attract greater attention from opponents than in regular season affairs, it’s the teams that can get those star players to buy into the 200-foot game that often wins the Stanley Cup.
How Keefe will help these Devils in their details remains to be seen, even if he arrives with a strong reputation in terms of communication, analytical, and tactical acuity. From my perspective, the Devils were most in need of a firebrand who demands accountability. Craig Berube, whom the Leafs immediately scooped up after firing Keefe following another first-round exit, might not have been the fan’s favorite for this particular gig, but he’s the type of personality who I think could light a fire under this team.
For too long, the Devils have become comfortable living in a world where accountability had to be balanced with young player development. Lindy Ruff seemed to change that in 2022-23, when New Jersey won its first playoff round in 11 years. Unfortunately, it was short-lived. Injuries forced younger players into elevated roles, and the costliest of mistakes suddenly became excused again. The shortcuts that doom NHL clubs returned this season, with the Devils committing egregious errors in looking to make plays on a regular basis. Stars and depth guys, veterans and youngsters—everyone seemed to get involved with the poor decision-making/execution at one time or another.
For his failings, Ruff received a pink slip following an inadequate California trip in February. Travis Green was promoted to finish the campaign as the interim coach, but he fared no better in terms of getting the requisite two-way effort.
Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald also deserves a share of the blame for the team’s regression, mostly for betting on the wrong goalies and not addressing it until the March trade deadline. Maybe he waited too long before realizing Ruff had run his course.
This offseason is all about fixing the leaks, with Keefe being the first plug. No one can deny his credentials, but his hiring hardly assures that the franchise will change its ways in order to see better results in 2024-25.