The New Jersey Devils made the major change fans have been asking for months ago. Tom Fitzgerald is no longer with the organization, as they need to find a new President of Hockey Operations and general manager. It’s not clear if that will be held by one person, or if the Devils will prioritize finding a paid of executives to drive the organizations forward.
Possibly the biggest decision the new leadership must make is on the future of head coach Sheldon Keefe. Keefe was a huge hire by Fitzgerald two years ago, coming from an unsuccessful run in the pressure cooker that is Toronto.
The results have not followed the hype. Keefe made the playoffs with the Devils last season, but they played so terribly that he almost missed it at the end despite only needing 91 points to get in.
The Devils got dominated by the Carolina Hurricanes, and it was clear the structure of the team needed work. They didn’t have enough offense, and the team desperately needed depth in the forward group. On top of that, the defense felt stuck. Fitzgerald did make a few moves, signing Connor Brown, adding rookie Arseny Gritsyuk, and re-signing Cody Glass, but the rest of the roster still had holes.
While the roster issues are Fitzgerald’s fault, as Keefe didn’t give everyone and their mother a no-trade clause, but he has had trouble getting the most out of a talented roster.
What happened during the Olympic break that has the Devils playing a completely different style of hockey? That’s an important question if Sheldon Keefe is going to keep his job.
That reality seemed impossible just a few weeks ago, and it might still be the case. Keefe confirmed on Tuesday that his job isn’t exactly guaranteed.
Sheldon Keefe confirms he’s been told he’ll be under evaluation at season’s end following yesterday’s news. #NJDevils
— James Nichols (@JamesNicholsNHL) April 7, 2026
Sheldon Keefe may be coaching for his job in the New Jersey Devils' final five games of the season
Keefe continued to say that he felt a sense of responsibility for Fitzgerald’s dismissal, calling him a “great man” who treated his family extremely well.
Now, there may be a sense of responsibility for Keefe. If ownership evaluates his job performance poorly, then there will be another opening in the leadership group. Keefe might be saved by a former colleague, as Brendan Shanahan has been the most popular name tied to the President of Hockey Operations opening.
Shanahan was one of the leaders who chose to fire Mike Babcock and hire Keefe in Toronto. He was still there when Keefe was fired by the Maple Leafs, but maybe he felt there were extenuating circumstances that forced that.
Either way, Keefe is fighting for his job. If the Devils sweep the rest of their games, it would be hard to let him go, but it’s also hard to tie a new GM to an old head coach.