3 reasons why Sheldon Keefe may not be the right fit for New Jersey Devils 

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified May 23, 2024 03:30 GMT

Ex-Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe will be taking over the bench boss role for the New Jersey Devils, insider Darren Dreger reported per The Hockey News.

Keefe was fired roughly a week after the Boston Bruins eliminated Toronto in a tough seven-game series. Now, Keefe has landed a new opportunity with the New Jersey Devils.

Keefe is an interesting choice for the Devils, as GM Tom Fitzgerald said during the Devils’ end-of-year press conference (via the Toronto Sun):

"I have specific boxes that I want checked. He has to be an excellent communicator, someone who wants to collaborate with all different areas of the organization and understands where I think the team needs to get to."

With that in mind, it’s fair to wonder if Sheldon Keefe is the right fit for the New Jersey Devils.

Here are three reasons why Sheldon Keefe may not be the man for the Devils’ job.

3 reasons why Sheldon Keefe may not be the right fit in New Jersey

#1. He’s soft on players

Fitzgerald added this comment during the Devils’ end-of-season presser regarding the type of coach the club is looking for:

"Lastly, a coach who’s going to keep every player accountable and not just a handful of guys."

While that statement sounds convincing, Keefe had been widely criticized for being soft on players in Toronto. The media demanded more accountability from players, especially superstars such as Mitch Marner, during this year’s playoffs.

Keefe will need to show his tough side in New Jersey in order to meet Fitzgerald’s expectations.

#2. He’s been successful in the regular season, but not in the playoffs

Since taking over from Mike Babcock, Keefe led the Maple Leafs to five playoff appearances. With Toronto, Keefe registered a 212-97-40 overall record. Furthermore, the Leafs tallied multiple 100-point seasons under his command.

However, the club was able to get past the first round only once during Sheldon Keefe’s tenure. The lack of playoff success has long been one of the biggest criticisms against Keefe.

So, is there any reason to believe that Keefe can achieve the playoff season he didn’t get in Toronto by coaching the Devils? Perhaps a different core of players and a less intense media environment can make a difference in how Keefe runs his hockey club.

#3. He doesn’t have a vision for the team

At times, it seemed like Keefe randomly threw lines together, particularly as injuries piled up. There were times when Keefe was criticized for playing Marner, William Nylander and Auston Matthews too much, especially at the end of the games.

As for defense, it seemed like the Leafs didn’t have a structured approach. This situation was especially evident in the Leafs’ goals against average. While Toronto finished second in goals with 3.63 goals per game, the club ranked near the bottom at 3.18 goals against per game.

While the Leafs managed to get through the regular season by outscoring opponents, they couldn’t do it in the playoffs. As for the Devils, Sheldon Keefe will need to do something about their 3.43 goals against average to turn things around.

What do you think of Sheldon Keefe joining the New Jersey Devils? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.