🔥 Trending Sheldon Keefe: Who is the new NHL coach?

Sheldon Keefe is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player, currently serving as the head coach for the New Jersey Devils in the National Hockey League (NHL) ¹⁵. He is widely recognized for his coaching career, particularly his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs before joining the Devils ³⁴.

Early Life and Playing Career

Born on September 17, 1980, in Brampton, Ontario, Keefe played as a forward during his professional career ². He was active as a player from 1996 to 2005 ².

Coaching Career

Keefe's coaching career began after his playing days, and he quickly rose through the ranks.

Toronto Maple Leafs (2019-2024)

Keefe was appointed head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs in November 2019 ³⁸. During his nearly five seasons with the Maple Leafs, he compiled a regular-season record of 212-97-40 ⁴⁸. Despite his regular-season success, the Maple Leafs consistently struggled in the Stanley Cup Playoffs under his leadership, failing to advance past the first round in four of his five seasons ³⁸. He was ultimately fired by the Maple Leafs on Thursday, May 9, 2024, after the team lost in seven games to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference First Round ³⁸.

New Jersey Devils (2024-Present)

Following his departure from the Maple Leafs, Keefe was hired by the New Jersey Devils ⁴. He led the Devils to the playoffs in his first season as head coach ⁴. Despite a change in general manager for the Devils, with Sunny Mehta taking over from Tom Fitzgerald in April 2026, Keefe's position as head coach was confirmed to be secure ⁵⁶⁷. The team officially confirmed on Tuesday, May 7, 2026, that Keefe would return as coach ⁵. This decision came after Mehta conducted a full assessment of the organization ⁵.