According to NHL insider Kevin Weekes, the New Jersey Devils are set to make their head coach announcement soon, and it appears that Sheldon Keefe will be the man.
Several NHL teams, including the Devils, are in the process of hiring a new head coach. Only a few days after dismissing former head coach Sheldon Keefe, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed top free agent Craig Berube, so he is already off the board. It seems as though Keefe is already on his way to join a new squad.
The former Leafs coach may soon be signed by the Devils, according to Devils reporter Alex Chauvancy. For a few days now, there have been whispers that Keefe and the Devils were speaking.
Contributor to NHL rumors Jim Biringer has also stated that Keefe and the Devils have been in communication. He even went so far as to state that although the paperwork has not yet been finished, the team already has a verbal agreement in place.
During his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Keefe consistently made the playoffs with ease, demonstrating his abilities as a regular season coach. He did, however, only win one postseason series and was routinely eliminated in the first round. If he gains control of the Devils, will that pattern hold true? Time will tell. If they stay mostly healthy, the club ought to be strong enough to qualify for the playoffs the next year.