NHL Rumors: Sheldon Keefe, Devils Agree to HC Contract After Maple Leafs Firing

It reportedly didn't take Sheldon Keefe long to land a new head coaching job.

Darren Dreger of TSN and Spittin' Chiclets podcast reported Wednesday that the New Jersey Devils agreed to make Keefe their next head coach. Dreger noted it will be a four-year contract, which includes the two years owed by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toronto fired Keefe earlier this month following its first-round loss to the Boston Bruins.

Keefe released a video after his firing from the Maple Leafs saying he is "forever grateful for the opportunity," which was a "dream come true."

He coached the Toronto Marlies, who are the Leafs' AHL affiliate, prior to landing his first NHL head coaching job. He even helped the Marlies win the Calder Cup in 2018 and was eventually promoted to the Toronto position during the 2019-20 campaign after the team moved on from Mike Babcock.

Keefe went 27-15-5 that season and led the Maple Leafs to the postseason. They went to the postseason in each of his five seasons on the bench but won just one series during that span.

The lack of playoff success has been a theme for Toronto, which has been to the postseason eight times in a row just to make it past the first round a single time. It hasn't won the Stanley Cup since the 1966-67 season.

While Keefe was unable to bring a change to the playoff struggles, he was largely successful overall in Toronto and went 212-97-40 in the regular season.

Yet the Devils will be a different type of challenge.

They are not annual playoff contenders who are known for falling short on the biggest stage like Toronto. Instead, they have been to the postseason just two times since they lost in the Stanley Cup Final in 2012.

New Jersey looked to have turned the corner in 2022-23 when it went 52-22-8 and reached the second round, but it took a step back this past season and missed the playoffs at 38-39-5.

It will be up to Keefe to establish more consistency with his new team even after he fell short of the ultimate goal with the Maple Leafs.