Like many Americans, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald was happy to begin his Memorial Day Weekend a few days early. Fitzgerald told the assembled media that his meticulous and exhaustive search for a new head coach wrapped up three days before the unofficial start of summer when he received a text message from former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe accepting the job offer that Fitzgerald had tendered a few days earlier. Seven days after receiving that text, Fitzgerald, managing partner David Blitzer, and radio play-by-play announcer Matt Laughlin formally introduced Keefe as the 22nd head coach in Devils team history.
“Last Tuesday night Sheldon texted me accepting the job. You don’t usually celebrate on Tuesday nights. I celebrated that night.”
Tom Fitzgerald, May 28, 2024
On Tuesday, Keefe, Fitzgerald, and Blitzer spoke and took questions for nearly an hour. Fitzgerald confirmed that he formally spoke with eight to ten candidates before settling on Keefe. It did not take him long to move Keefe to the top of his list once the Maple Leafs dismissed the coach. Keefe said that within hours of meeting with Leafs general manager Brad Treliving, he was out to lunch with his wife and received a call from Treliving advising that Fitzgerald and the Devils were interested in speaking with him about their opening.
Keefe credited his wife with helping him quickly realize that he was not ready to take a break from coaching and supporting his decision to explore the opportunity in New Jersey meaningfully. Fitzgerald cited a three-hour phone call with Keefe to discuss hockey philosophy and coaching beliefs. After that conversation, Fitzgerald told Keefe that the job was his if he wanted. Here are three takeaways from a press conference that appeared to be the reset the team needs.
Keefe’s Style of Play is a Great Match for New Jersey’s Personnel
Too often last season, the Devils seemed to float in games and play passively. That is inapposite to how Keefe’s teams play and his coaching philosophy. When asked, Keefe indicated that his teams play with pace and pressure the puck in all three zones characteristically, and he seeks to find ways to allow talented players to express their talent. The first two descriptors he used were fast and competitive, followed by pressure on the puck. Those words should be music to the ears of Devils fans, and Keefe agrees that this team is built to execute that style of hockey.
“What you would expect is a style that is fast and competitive that prioritizes pressure on the puck in all zones but also leans in on the skill of the players. And in order to do that you have to have the proper tools to do so. I believe that we have those here. So I’m really excited to build a plan that can maximize the strengths of our team, but also have a group that can develop cohesion and connectivity within the group on both sides of the puck that really shines through all zones. And then ultimately building a team that is very good, not just in the skilled parts of the game, not just the offensive parts in the games, but the game within the game. I think in our sport, as you see when you turn on and watch the playoffs there’s a lot that goes on that you have to be very comfortable in and the group has to really stick together. Those are areas that I think we’ll be focusing on a lot.”
Devils Head Coach Sheldon Keefe, May 28, 2024
Fitzgerald agreed with Keefe’s assessment and was clear that he was not looking for a coach who would come in and try to make the roster fit his style rather than design a system that best fits the team as currently assembled. The new coach praised the organization’s resources, citing Blitzer’s support and investment in the sports science and analytics departments. He said he would lean on those departments to ensure the players are fully taken care of, which would allow him to maximize the players’ potential daily.
For a team stocked with elite talent, players like Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and Timo Meier will surely benefit from Keefe’s philosophy of high-pressure, fast hockey, and he believes the pieces are largely in place. “To be able to work with that (skill and competitiveness) and lean on that but also get the work itself and the necessary competitiveness and physicality and structure required to have any level of success available as a team. I believe those things are all in place here.” Keefe also cited the need for developing leadership throughout the lineup in layers and building a culture of accountability that begins with players holding each other accountable, which he believes is the mark of teams that win.
Lack of Playoff Success is Not a Concern
The main demerit on Keefe’s resume is his inability to advance past the first round of the playoffs in four of his five seasons at the helm of the Leafs. While an obvious concern, Devils fans should not be concerned once Keefe’s record is taken as a whole. In his 18 years of coaching, he has never failed to qualify for the playoffs. He possesses the highest career points percentage of any coach in Maple Leafs history. He is the second fastest in NHL history to amass 200 career wins. Keefe has won a Calder Cup with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League and multiple rounds of playoffs at his other stops along the way. There is no doubt that the pressure is different in New Jersey compared to Toronto, but New Jersey has proven that it can win a Stanley Cup in the modern era. Every year that the Leafs don’t win the Cup or even a round, the pressure on the team ratchets up, applying more and more pressure, leading to an environment that is not conducive to winning in the postseason.
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Keefe acknowledged that the playoffs are a challenge, “winning in the playoffs is extremely difficult. It’s very hard to do. So, every detail matters, and that’s why it’s so important to focus on what’s right in front of you on a daily basis. And look to master every day that you have and capitalize on every day that you have so that when the tough moments come you are confident and you can just go out and play, and trust yourself and your ability to execute in those moments.” He later mentioned that you have to make the playoffs before you can win a round, and you have to win a round before you can win a Cup. He indicated that he is encouraged by his initial conversations with the players and their desire to get back to work, which is motivated by the failure of the past season.
Keefe is not Afraid of Expectations
When provided a chance to tamp down expectations, Keefe took the opposite tact and declared that he believes the resources and talent are present in the organization in sufficient abundance to win in New Jersey. “The expectations only come when they are earned, and they have been earned here.” He repeatedly said that every time his players put on their gear, they will expect to win. He stressed accountability and competing every day to maximize whatever the day presented. “You have to foster accountability. Making ambitions clear and the actions match that on a daily basis. It’s on me to police that and enforce it.” He talked about how to foster that accountability individually and with the team.
Keefe recalled a conversation with Auston Matthews shortly after he assumed the head coaching duties in Toronto. That conversation taught him that star players need to be pushed and challenged as much as, if not more, than lesser talented players. He also mentioned several times that he had already been in contact with current members of the Devils, and even though the conversations were mainly conducted at a “surface level,” he quickly recognized that the players were unhappy with last season’s outcome and were prepared to put the work in to remedy the team’s deficiencies.
He also indicated that accountability is ideally a two-way street, “it’s just about making sure that we hold one another accountable as we go through (the season) because myself, as the coach, I expect the players to hold me accountable as well. I have a job to do. And I want their communication and their feedback. And if I’m not holding up my end or any staff member is not holding up our end, to give them what they need. We will work together towards making sure that our actions match our ambitions daily.” Keefe knows that he will ultimately be judged on whether he can foster the environment necessary for the team to take those next steps and realize their championship ambitions. He believes the organizational components are in place and will work with Fitzgerald to ensure he has the necessary roster pieces to qualify for the postseason and thrive there.
Devils’ management felt fortunate that Keefe became available just as their search wound down. Fitzgerald had declared at the end of the regular season that he would not make a coaching decision until after the first round of the playoffs concluded. He wanted to allow himself to see if any coaches shook loose. After a late-night call from Blitzer inquiring whether Fitzgerald believed Keefe might be available, the general manager advised the team’s Governor that he already had Keefe’s number on speed dial and would move quickly should the chance arise. Less than two weeks after the coach with the best winning percentage in Leafs history was let go by that organization, he was texting Fitzgerald that he was prepared to accept his offer and work towards bringing New Jersey its fourth Stanley Cup. With the introductions now out of the way, the work now begins.
