Sheldon Keefe was formally introduced as the New Jersey Devils' head coach on Tuesday. He was joined by Devils President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and Managing Partner David Blitzer. In a nearly hour-long press conference, they all discussed their excitement for the organization and the decision process surrounding Keefe's hiring. Pucks & Pitchforks was in attendance, and Devils fans should be excited about Keefe's tenure.
The Process
Fitzgerald spoke about the meticulous process he took when deciding the next head coach. Because it took the organization longer than anticipated to select one. Fitzgerald revealed that he interviewed 10 candidates. But his focus shifted to Keefe once the Boston Bruins eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs in round one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"When I look back at the process, it was pretty thorough. I called it the gauntlet for the people who went through it because it was extensive... Once the Toronto Maple Leafs lost out, I immediately called Brad Treliving [Leafs general manager] and asked if it was possible to have permission to talk to Sheldon... One call led to a text, and that text led to another text. This is a great day for the New Jersey Devils... Sheldon checks a lot of boxes that I was looking for."Tom Fitzgerald
At one point, Keefe and Fitzgerald conducted a three-hour phone call. It's safe to say that their line of communication was productive. Fitzgerald did the right thing by taking his time with the selection process. Because, aside from Craig Berube, Keefe seemed like the best fit for New Jersey. Since he has experience handling star players and getting to the playoffs consistently.