Devils' New GM Mehta to Reveal Coach Keefe's Fate

0:00On April 20th, New Jersey Devils fans are fed up after another playoff miss, marking just one series win in the past 14 seasons. With no time to waste, the team turned to Sonny Metta as their new general manager, the guy who helped rebuild the Florida Panthers into champs. Now the big question is, what happens with head coach Sheldon Keefe, who's still under contract, but his return is far from certain? Keefe's got a stellar track record, coaching teams to the postseason in every one of his 20 years on the bench until the season. In Toronto, his last three years there, they racked up a point percentage over 66% with the league's top five on five goals. But in New Jersey, over two seasons, the results dropped to 54% points and 27th in those same goals. The shift came after a franchise record 52 wins in 2022-23 when they played fast on the rush. The playoff lost to Carolina pushed them toward more physical play, hurting their speed game and injuries piled on, especially to star Jack Hughes.

1:03Players stand by Keefe, praising his demands and how he unlocked better scoring late in the year, going 14 wins, eight losses, and one tie since. February 28th, despite hurting lineups. Even with Hughes' sideline, they posted a 64% points clip when he was healthy. This speaks to the media tomorrow at 3pm Eastern, so expect clarity soon on the coaching path forward as the devils push to contend right away. That's the story for today, NHL News Today, driven by AI.