Sheldon Keefe Making Instant Impact on New Jersey Devils Rookies

New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe is already making an impact on the organization, and veterans have yet to even report for training camp.

Rookie camp opened up earlier this week and the Devils youngster’s are participating in the Prospect Challenge in Buffalo hosted by the Sabres.

The Devils played their first of three games of the tournament on Friday, delivering a beat down to the Ottawa Senators rookies, ringing up their goaltenders for nine goals. 20-year-old Tyler Brennan allowed just one goal, making 24 saves on 25 shots.

New Jersey’s rookies were far more prepared to play than the Senators rookies were on Friday. Cam Squires and Xavier Parent each collected two goals and an assist, and at least nine different Devils rookies registered a point.

Kevin Dineen is tasked with head coaching duties in the rookie training camp and prospect challenge. However, Sheldon Keefe has made sure his voice has been heard as well — sending the message to the rookies that work ethic will be the key to their success.

“Yeah, [Dineen] is a guy that loves a guy that works hard,” Parent explained on Friday after collecting three points. “Sheldon Keefe said that’s something he loves, too. So I think everyone did that tonight. I think we showed every shift that we had a really good game there, a good 60 minutes.”

If you’ve ever watched All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, you know Keefe doesn’t mince words.

The Devils head coach might not be the best technical bench boss, but he knows how to squeeze as much out of his players as possible. In fact, he coached each of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander to career years in his tenure with the Maple Leafs.

Keefe has an ability to send a message which makes players want to put in the extra effort. The Devils rookies 9-1 victory over Ottawa on Friday was just another example of that.

“Sheldon [Keefe] spoke to the players before we got here,” Dineen explained. “I think that had a pretty big impact on our guys, knowing that there’s going to be a lot of eyes on them here. And it was a pretty direct message, when you get that, I think you take it to heart. And they went out, and they certainly showed that tonight.”

Devils rookie camp from day one was intense and that level have play has remained consistent ever since. Although Dineen is the one running the practices and making the calls behind the bench, the message is coming through Dineen from Keefe.

When the puck drops on Wednesday when veterans report to camp, there’s little doubt the Devils are in for a tough few weeks leading up to the regular season with work ethic being the No.1 priority.

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