5 New Jersey Devils that benefit from Sheldon Keefe hiring

The New Jersey Devils did a great thing when they hired Sheldon Keefe to be their new head coach. He lands this job just a couple of weeks after being eliminated by the Boston Bruins in game seven as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Keefe was fired a few days after that loss.

Keefe had a lot of success with a roster that was flawed in a lot of ways. New Jersey has holes but with the right coach and better goaltending, their future appears to be brighter than Toronto’s.

There are a few players in particular on the New Jersey Devils roster that needed a new coach. Travis Greene and Lindy Ruff had a lot of the same ways which hurt a few of the players on the team.

These are the five guys that will benefit the most with Sheldon Keefe as their head coach going forward:

The New Jersey Devils have a superstar in Jack Hughes. He continues to take steps with his offensive production every year but everyone knows that he has another level to get to.

Jack Hughes should be even better with Sheldon Keefe as his head coach. Keefe will do things that help him get to another level in the NHL. 

For one, Keefe will use Hughes in his proper position: center. This could have something to do with his health but he has no business being on the wing. He is much more impactful at the center of the ice. 

Keefe was excellent at getting guys like Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner to take their game to the next level. Hughes is on a similar level as those guys and Keefe can be the guy to take him further.