NHL Rumors: Insider believes New Jersey Devils will eye Sheldon Keefe for vacant HC role

By ARJUN B

Modified May 09, 2024 19:05 GMT

The New Jersey Devils are on the hunt for a new head coach following the dismissal of Lindy Ruff in March. NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun believes they have their sights set on recently fired Toronto Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe.

"I do believe the New Jersey Devils will have interest in interviewing Sheldon Keefe as part of their coaching search," he tweeted.

Keefe, who was let go by the Leafs this morning following their first-round exit to the Boston Bruins in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, had a successful regular-season record of 212-97-40 (.633) during his tenure in Toronto.

However, his playoff performance was less impressive, with a 16-21 (.432) record and only one series win in five years. Keefe was set to enter the first year of a two-year extension he signed with the Leafs last August.

The New Jersey Devils had high hopes of qualifying for the playoffs again in the 2023–24 season after making it last year since the 2017–18 season. However, they struggled with their performance and ended up finishing seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 38-39-5.

After firing Ruff in early March, the Devils replaced him with Travis Green on an interim basis. Green is expected to join the Ottawa Senators as their next head coach, while Ruff will return to the Buffalo Sabres for his second coaching stint with the team.

As the Devils are on the lookout for a head coach to steer them toward playoff success, Sheldon Keefe’s track record of playoff success with the Maple Leafs might make him a desirable choice for the role.

Whether or not the New Jersey Devils will actively pursue Keefe is yet to be determined.

New Jersey Devils coaching search timeline and another potential new coach

The New Jersey Devils are moving quickly in their search for a new head coach, hoping to have someone in place within 7–10 days, according to Pierre LeBrun.

LeBrun provided an update on the Devils' coaching search on Twitter, saying:

"Devils hope to have a new coach hired within 7-10 days. They should have a clearer picture of things by end of week."

"Kings haven't decided their course yet on HC front. GM Rob Blake will meet with Jim Hiller next week. Kings liked how Hiller handled himself. But we'll see."

One potential candidate that has emerged is Los Angeles Kings interim head coach Jim Hiller. Hiller took over the Kings in February after Todd McLellan was fired and led the team to a 21-12-1 record over the final 34 games.