Sheldon Keefe named Devils’ head coach

Sheldon Keefe will be named as the next head coach of the New Jersey Devils, the team confirmed Thursday.

Barstool Sports’ Brian “Rear Admiral” McGonagle initially reported that Keefe is heading to New Jersey. TSN’s Darren Dreger later confirmed the report that the former five-year Maple Leafs’ bench boss will coach the up-and-coming young Devils squad.

Dreger reported that Keefe signed a four-year deal, which includes the two years remaining on his extension that kicks in at the start of the 2024-25 season, less than a year after signing it with Toronto.

Keefe was with the Maple Leafs organization for nine years, spending parts of five seasons with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL and five seasons with the Maple Leafs after replacing Mike Babcock in 2019. He won the 2018 Calder Cup with the Marlies and led them to two 50-win seasons (2015-16 and 2017-18).

During his time with the Maple Leafs, he replicated the regular-season success that he had with the Marlies, recording two 50-win seasons and two 110-point seasons, but couldn’t translate that into playoff success in the NHL. Keefe clinched the playoffs every year, winning just one playoff round, which came against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022-23.

The 43-year-old now joins a Devils team with loads of young talent that missed the playoffs this past season following a surprising season in 2021-22 when they finished with 52 wins and 112 points, going on to defeat their rivals, New York Rangers in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Keefe is the fourth head coach to get hired during this latest cycle, and the San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets are the only teams remaining with a vacancy.