Less than two weeks after losing his job as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sheldon Keefe reportedly accepted the same role with the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday.
While many people in Keefe’s situation choose to take a break before looking for a new job, the 43-year-old has made the decision to throw himself back into the fire. However, reporter James Nichols of the Devils beat offered a noteworthy explanation.
“Told one of the factors in Keefe jumping right back into coaching was the Devils roster being too talented to pass up,” Nicholas told X.
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 comes to Jersey with the unwelcome reputation of being a head coach who failed to overcome a talented team’s four first-round exits in his five years with the team. Still, the Maple Leafs’ postseason woes predated the Keefe era by a long shot.
After eight seasons and seven opening-round exits, Toronto has finally pledged to make big changes. In addition to bringing in Stanley Cup winner Craig Berube to take Keefe’s position, the team may also be about to make some changes to the starting lineup. This suggests that the business is dealing with far more serious issues than just bench staffing.
Keefe achieved success in Toronto that had eluded others before him despite his first-round gaffes. He became the first head coach since 2004 to take the Maple Leafs to the second round of the playoffs in 2022–2023 season. In addition, he guided the group to three straight seasons with 100 points or more, something no other head coach in the illustrious history of the organization had managed to do.
The Maple Leafs’ struggles may not have been solely Keefe’s fault, but that doesn’t mean a new club will be successful. He was right not to turn down the position, though, since it’s likely his best chance to head a winning team given the abundance of youthful talent on the Devils that is ready to be shaped.
