Can Sheldon Keefe get the Devils over the hump?
After a disappointing 2025-26 season, some wondered what changes New Jersey Devils general manager Sunny Mehta might make to help turn the team’s fortunes around.
Yet, one thing will stay the same – head coach Sheldon Keefe will remain at his post for another campaign.
Keefe saw his team flounder after a solid start this year, falling to the depths of the Metropolitan Division. After guiding the team to the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Keefe’s team struggled to overcome adversity and tough results to keep up with the best in the Eastern Conference.
On Wednesday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton discuss if Keefe is the right guy for the Devils heading into the future.
Tyler Yaremchuk: I think this is the right call, too, because look, they more games than they lost last year. Goaltending let them down at points. Jack Hughes getting hurt again was a big part of this. I don’t think Sheldon Keefe was all that much to blame last year, because I don’t think they were that bad. The only thing they were bad at was not losing in overtime. They had more wins than I think 5 of the 16 playoff teams in the NHL.
Carter Hutton: Missing [Hughes] for 21 games with his hand injury sure didn’t help this team as well. When I think of Sheldon Keefe, the biggest maybe elephant in the room is his play a lack of playoff success, right? These are all round ones. Five times. It was it was the lockout year they lost in the play-in [round], and then their four first-round losses and the second-round loss. So, can he get this team over the hump if they get in? I feel like his success and future is gonna be tied to his goaltending. Jacob Markstrom, he’s got a new deal kicking in. He’s an older goalie. He had a horrible year. … Jake Allen was kind of that bright spot for this team. So, I think moving into this year with Allen and him as a 36 and a 35-year-old goalie, I think Sheldon Keefe’s success is gonna be tied to those guys in these two years that he has coming.
You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…