Sheldon Keefe expressed disappointment after the New Jersey Devils failed to make the playoffs this spring. Following their loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on April 8, the team was officially eliminated from postseason contention.
Interestingly, this marks Keefe’s first season as head coach of the Devils, and the first time in his coaching career that he will not be part of the playoffs. The Devils had made the postseason the previous season, and prior to that, during his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Keefe led the team to the playoffs in all six of his seasons.
Following the loss to the Flyers, Sheldon Keefe stated in an interview that it is somewhat embarrassing for him to be unable to lead his team to the playoffs. According to Daniel Amoia’s tweet, Keefe stated,
“It’s embarrassing. I don’t like it. I’ve coached for 20 years, and this is the first time I won’t be participating in the playoffs at any level.”
The New Jersey Devils have endured a difficult campaign in the 2025-26 NHL season, currently sitting seventh in the Metropolitan Division with 85 points from 80 games. The team needs some big changes, and they recently took a massive first step by parting ways with their GM, Tom Fitzgerald.
According to reports, Fitzgerald and the team’s co-owner, David Blitzer, had a comprehensive discussion before making this decision. The hockey executive also did not hesitate and stated that it is time for the squad to adopt a new approach.
Following this move, rumors circulated that HC Sheldon Keefe’s job too could be on the line.
What did HC Sheldon Keefe have to say about GM Tom Fitzgerald being fired?
When it was reported that Tom Fitzgerald would be leaving the New Jersey Devils, Sheldon Keefe acknowledged that Fitzgerald’s departure from the squad was not a positive feeling. The HC then noted that he hopes to participate in the discussion for the future GM.
According to NHL.com, Sheldon Keefe stated,
“It’s not a good feeling to hear the news. Not a better feeling today, frankly. I certainly hope to be a part of the solution here. Obviously, they’ve got some decisions to make on who the new general manager is and what the leadership of the team looks like…I’ll be a part of that discussion and evaluation. It’s not something I feel good about with the situation that we’ve put the team in here.”
The Devils have had serious structural concerns this year, with injuries and disappointing results, causing their season to fall apart entirely. The team will hope to get things together during the offseason by possibly trading some players to bring in fresh talent.
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