New Jersey Devils
Sheldon Keefe’s Intensity Weighing on Devils?
Is Sheldon Keefe’s intensity weighing on the Devils down the stretch as they attempt to hold onto their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
NEWARK—The tension in the press room following the New Jersey Devils’ loss on Saturday could be cut with a knife.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic on blast over the weekend. The Devils dropped their second game in as many nights. Frustration is mounting with concerning trends persisting through their last three games.
READ MORE: Devils Head Coach Tears Into Newly-Extended Defenseman as Team Flounders
It was a moment of aggravation for Keefe who can be known as a pretty intense coach. However, is that intensity weighing on the Devils?
General manager Tom Fitzgerald decided after last season’s debacle, the Devils needed a new voice, a new direction behind the bench.
Despite Fitzgerald extending Lindy Ruff an extension earlier in the season, he was relieved of his duties at the end of 2023-24, and Fitzgerald relentlessly pursued Keefe when he was let go of in Toronto.
Keefe is a different kind of coach than Ruff. He’s intense and hard on his players. That’s not to say Ruff wasn’t those things, however, he perhaps sent his messages a bit differently.
“The other thing I’ve heard too, Lindy Ruff could be a really pointed guy,” Friedman explained on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast. “But I think the thing about Ruff, I’ve heard is when he was with the Devils, like someone told me he basically had like three rules. Aside from hockey, his basic three rules were, be on time, don’t be a jerk, and if you’re going to dress, dress business casual. That’s like one of the players told me that. Like that’s kind of the way he was.”
There seems to have been a bit of a culture shock in Newark, however. The Devils saw plenty of success this season under a head coach who is traditionally successful. Yet, there’s certainly a different kind of coach behind the bench and in the room who is leading the charge.
“Keefe is a grinder. And again, I think in Toronto, people didn’t recognize it, or he didn’t get enough credit for how much he [ground] some of those guys behind the scenes,” Friedman explained. “And I’ve heard it’s been an adjustment for some of those New Jersey guys.”
Keefe is always transparent and honest. Even in his media scrums and postgame availabilities. The Devils’ former head coach could be, too. However, for the most part, he knew his way around a question and could spit back a coaches answer that didn’t raise the alarms.
“I would never call Lindy Ruff a soft marker or anything like that. But I think Keefe’s intensity is at a much higher level. Like Ruff, he’s seen everything, right? Like he’s still competitive, but he’s seen it all. He’s been coaching for 30 years in the NHL. I think Keefe’s got another level of edge to him.”
At the end of the day, Keefe’s tactics have been a net positive for New Jersey.
In a similar injury situation last season, the Devils folded and missed the playoffs after an extremely successful 2022-23 campaign.
However, their recent play has indicated there are some inconsistencies. Without the likes of Jack Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, and Jonas Siegenthaler, the Devils still have the bones of a good roster.
Yet, they’re struggling to put it all together. Perhaps, the pressure is coming from top down.
“I’ve heard that some of those Devils guys have had a bit of a challenge getting used to it,” Friedman concluded.
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