Sheldon Keefe is the new head coach of the New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils had a tough year in 2023-24. They were expected to be a Stanley Cup contender but fell flat for most of the season.

There were some injuries, bad goaltending, and questionable coaching this season. That all led to the firing of Lindy Ruff mid-season. He was replaced by Travis Greene who brought more of the same.

Ruff was hired to be the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres and Greene was brought in to be the coach of the Ottawa Senators. The Devils conducted a search that included multiple candidates.

They decided on Wednesday when they hired Sheldon Keefe who was last with the Toronto Maple Leafs as head coach. Keefe was fired after the Leafs lost their first-round series to the Boston Bruins in seven games.

The New Jersey Devils hired Sheldon Keefe to be their next head coach

Keefe is a great hire for New Jersey. They now get a guy who has helped many young stars take big steps in the NHL. The hope is that he can help guys like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt lead this team to the promised land.

Other teams considered this coach and ultimately landed in New Jersey. This is a great hire for both sides.

He didn't do what he set out to do in Toronto but it was hardly his fault. A lot of the stars in their organization didn't show up once the playoffs started and the roster had a ton of flaws to it.

The New Jersey Devils aren't perfect but their team is being built the right way. They have great young skaters in every position.

Their biggest issue is the goaltending. Tom Fitzgerald is sure to address that problem now that he has his head coach in place.

If all of the stars on New Jersey's roster play at the top of their game, the young defensemen continue to develop well, and they get better goaltending, this 2024-25 edition of the New Jersey Devils could take big steps under Keefe.

He was a great hire for a team looking to take things to the next level when it comes to making and advancing in the playoffs.