Sheldon Keefe is the new head coach of the New Jersey Devils.
What can we expect?
After working with him for three years in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization (2017-20), here are two things that jump to my mind when envisioning Sheldon’s potential impact.
1. Collaboration
In the first two years of my TOR tenure, I worked in the front office and had almost daily interactions with both the Leafs and Marlies’ coaching staffs.
Aside from tactics and player communication style, the most striking difference between Mike Babcock and Sheldon Keefe was that the latter was far more interested in collaborating with other departments (player development, R&D/analytics, sports science, player wellness, etc.).
Keefe was willing to defer to subject-matter experts and confer with junior members of his staff. Both are prerequisites for a modern coach working in organizations with ever-expanding headcounts.
2. Tactics
Critics of Keefe’s hiring could make the argument that the Devils need a defense-first coach in order to become a contender.
I’d disagree with that assertion.
The way to maximize NJD’s high-end players is to teach them how to extend offensive-zone time and wear out opposing teams in their zone. Sustaining possessions and mastering the half-ice game make NJD far less of a one-trick pony off the rush - a major weakness of the 2023-24 team.
Furthermore, establishing OZ pressure allows NJD’s active defensemen and quick-skating forwards to create exit kills, which disrupt the opposition’s possessions and suppress entries/shots/chances against.
Above are two OZ plays, one with puck and one without puck, that you may see NJD employ under Keefe next season. They were the bread-and-butter of the 2019-22 Leafs, who dominated territorially at 5v5. Expect the new Devils’ coach to recommit to this defense-from-offense approach.