Sheldon Keefe spent the previous four-plus seasons teaching the Toronto Maple Leafs in an try to steer the staff to its first Stanley Cup title since 1967.
Shortly after Toronto fell within the first spherical of the playoffs final spring, he was unemployed. About three weeks later, the New Jersey Devils employed him in hopes that he may assist them rebound from a irritating season.
To this point, Keefe is off to a great begin along with his new staff. The Devils will attempt to make it three straight victories Thursday evening once they host the Maple Leafs of their first recreation on house ice in Newark, N.J.
Keefe posted a 212-97-40 document with Toronto after taking on for Mike Babcock 24 video games into the 2019-20 season. The Maple Leafs solely superior previous the primary spherical in 2022-23, and Keefe was fired shortly after the staff’s Sport 7 loss to the Boston Bruins in Might.
“I do not even know,” Keefe mentioned on Toronto’s The FAN Hockey Present Tuesday in an try to downplay going through the Maple Leafs. “The Leafs are coming in, and it is a fantastic likelihood. Let’s get proper at it right here.”
The Devils are searching for their first 3-0-0 begin since successful their first 4 video games of the 2018-19 season and are coming off a pair of stable performances in opposition to the Buffalo Sabres final weekend in Prague. New Jersey trailed for about 4 minutes in the course of the second interval of Saturday’s 3-1 win when it was the house staff, and acquired a purpose in each video games from new addition Paul Cotter whereas goalies Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen mixed to make 47 saves.
“Everyone knows, to get that win could be large,” New Jersey captain Nico Hischier mentioned about Keefe going through the Maple Leafs for the primary time. “Everyone has this little additional motivation in themselves, for certain, house opener, we all know he was teaching that staff for some time so, we positively must be pumped up for that recreation.”
Toronto heads into the encounter in opposition to its former coach after a irritating 1-0 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday evening. The sport was the Leafs’ first underneath new coach Craig Berube.
The Maple Leafs have been unable to get the win regardless of taking 48 pictures on purpose in opposition to goalie Sam Montembeault. The trio of recent captain Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Taveres mixed for 16 pictures on purpose in a recreation by which the Maple Leafs had 25 pictures blocked by the Canadiens.
“We did sufficient to attain and put ourselves in a greater place, however the puck did not go in,” Matthews mentioned. “There have been plenty of good issues we will take away from the sport. It is Sport 1. You’d wish to get off to a miraculous begin and win the primary recreation, however there have been issues we will construct on.”
Moreover the lack to attain, the Maple Leafs are coping with some uncertainty in purpose.
Joseph Woll was unable to start out because of a lower-body harm after complaining of tightness in observe on Tuesday. Anthony Stolarz made 26 saves, and Dennis Hildeby may make his NHL debut Thursday after being referred to as up on an emergency foundation to switch Woll.
–Area Degree Media
