1. Hiring Sheldon Keefe
In May of 2024, Sheldon Keefe was hired as head coach of the New Jersey Devils. He replaced Travis Green and has had a huge impact on the Devils' organization.
While the Toronto Maple Leafs had fired him on May 9th after going 212-97-40 in five seasons and 16-21 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he still guided Toronto to the playoffs in each of his five seasons. The Maple Leafs went 46-26-10 this season to finish third in the Atlantic Division but lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the Eastern Conference First Round.
Keefe played 125 games in the NHL as a winger with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He coached the OHL Soo Greyhounds for three years and the AHL Toronto Marlies for five years before taking over the Leafs, working with former Toronto general manager Kyle Dubas at each stop.
"This is an exciting time, and I'm honored to be a member of the Devils' organization," Keefe said in a statement at the time of the hiring. "To have the chance to lead this young, dynamic team and to see the potential that can still be unlocked is all very attractive for me."
With the Devils already competing for their tenth win of the season and fighting for first place, clearly having him as a coach has made an immediate impact.