Article content
Sheldon Keefe's lesson following his departure from the Maple Leafs was not isolated.
You may remember that when the Leafs fired Keefe on May 9, he filmed a video on the shores of Lake Ontario, later posting it on X, in which he thanked the Leafs organization for giving him the opportunity to coach in the National Hockey League and took over. the responsibility for not having guided the club to a deep run in the playoffs.
Ad 2
Article content
On Thursday in Newark, hours before the first meeting between his new team, the New Jersey Devils, and his old one, the Leafs, Keefe again took the high road.
He wasn't out of work for long, as he was hired by the Devils on May 23, just days after the Leafs named Craig Berube as his replacement.
We apologize, but this video has not loaded.
“I received nothing but love and respect from the people on the other side,” Keefe told media at the Prudential Center. “I leave Toronto disappointed that I wasn't able to help them advance in the playoffs, but I think the team is in a very good position. I loved the moves Tree (general manager Brad Treliving) made in the off-season. I think the team is as good as it has ever been and I wish them all the best.”
Of course, that doesn't apply to Thursday night, which marks the Devils' home opener after defeating the Buffalo Sabers in two games last week in Prague to open the 2024-25 NHL regular season.
Article content
Ad 3
Article content
The Leafs arrived in town in the early morning hours after failing to score in their season opener in Montreal, losing 1-0 to the Canadiens, and had no morning skate or early availability.
Keefe performed very well in the regular season with the Leafs after being promoted from the Toronto Marlies to take over as head coach following the firing of Mike Babcock in 2019, compiling a record of 212-97-40.
That never translated into the playoffs, as the Leafs advanced to the second round just once under Keefe. After the Boston Bruins defeated the Leafs in seven games in the first round last spring, Treliving fired Keefe less than a week later.
On Thursday morning, Keefe expected to practice against a team he had previously managed.
Ad 4
Article content
“I don’t know what to think of this,” Keefe said. “I have never been in this situation before. We'll see when we get there and the game starts.
“It will be strange being on the other side. But for us it's the home debut, it's my first time in front of the Devils fans. In that sense, I'm more focused on that.
“It's a little bizarre that the Leafs are here (so early in the season), but we have a lot to prepare for because they're a really good team to play with.
“I'm on the other side now and having a sense of what other teams have had to go through when dealing with what has been a top-five or top-10 team in the regular season the last few years, that's what my focus is on.”
The Leafs will be back in Newark for another meeting on December 10th.
Ad 5
Article content
Keefe will return to Toronto with the Devils for the club's only visit of the season to Scotiabank Arena on January 16.
Keefe watched the Leafs game in Montreal on TV.
Recommended by Editorial
-
Maple Leafs power play deviates from script in early loss
-
Our takeaways from the Maple Leafs' season-opening loss in Montreal
“Honestly, there are a lot of similarities in the way both teams want to play and the things we tried to establish and the things we established when we were there,” Keefe said. “In terms of structure, it is quite similar. There are some differences in the neutral zone and the defensive zone, but offensively it’s a lot of what you would expect.”
How would Keefe defend himself against Leafs captain Auston Matthews?
“Keep the puck away from him, make him defend, minimize his mistakes and get some love on the crossbars,” Keefe said with a smile.
[email protected]
X: @koshtorontosun
Article content
