Devils Coaching Bullets: Keefe in the Mix?

It looks like the New Jersey Devils will interview Sheldon Keefe as part of their coaching search. Plus, is Craig Berube looking less likely?

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I am admittedly tired of writing about the New Jersey Devils' coaching search, but it does appear we're entering the final stretch. Let's kick off the weekend by going over the latest in the search, including Sheldon Keefe entering the mix. 

Devils Should Give Keefe Serious Consideration

Though the Devils may be entering the final stretch of their coaching search, they will be one team interested in interviewing Keefe, who the Toronto Maple Leafs fired yesterday. 

The Maple Leafs faltered in the first round of the playoffs again, and to the Boston Bruins, no less. That was the fourth time in Keefe's five seasons that they've failed to get out of the first round. That may not reflect well on Keefe, but the Devils are smart to bring him in for an interview. 

Even though Keefe's teams underachieved in the playoffs, the Maple Leafs were always a very good to excellent regular-season team under him. They finished above 50 percent in expected goals share (xG%) in all five of Keefe's seasons and were top five in the league in xG% from 2020-21 to 2022-23. 

The Maple Leafs excelled off the rush and liked to push play in transition under Keefe, which will fit this Devils roster well. Though the Maple Leafs' blue line had flaws, especially in the latter half of Keefe's tenure, they allowed 2.42 expected goals per 60 minutes across his five years. That's quite good, considering the roster. 

There's also a strong argument that the 2023-24 season was Keefe's best coaching job with the Maple Leafs. Just look at their blue line. They have one defenseman who can move the puck effectively in Morgan Rielly. Everyone else, other than Timothy Liljegren, is launching grenades. 

Yet, the Maple Leafs finished this season with a 51.43 xG%, a 46-26-10 record and 102 points. It was far from the best roster Keefe had to work with, but the team still found success. I also think it's important to note the roster construction, which has holes.  

The Maple Leafs decided to part ways with Kyle Dubas last offseason, replacing him with Brad Treliving. And let's say that Treliving has done nothing to help the Maple Leafs roster. Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi were OK additions, but everything else Treliving has done has made their roster worse.

Giving a three-year contract to Ryan Reaves is inexcusable. John Klingberg went on LTIR after playing 14 games, but he was a shell of himself when he did play. Instead of adding more scoring at the trade deadline, Treliving acquired Joel Edmundson, Ilya Lyubushkin and Connor Dewar. All grit, but they clearly didn't help in the playoffs.