Pressure: A word that should be synonymous with head coach.
When looking at the NHL, there are specific markets where, from an outside perspective, there is more pressure. Canadian markets and Original Six teams are just some organizations under a microscope from the media and their fanbase.
A smaller market like the New Jersey Devils often gets lost in the shuffle at the national media level, but that does not mean head coach Sheldon Keefe doesn’t feel the pressure he felt when he was behind the bench of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“There is personal pressure,” Keefe said to The Hockey News. “There’s internal pressure.”
Throughout his career, Keefe has coached multiple levels, from Junior A up to the NHL, and has experienced it all.
“I started out coaching seven years at the Junior A level in Pembroke, Ontario, with the Pembroke Lumber Kings,” he said. “That was tremendous pressure for me because I am a competitor. I want to win, not to mention that at that level if we didn’t, we didn’t make any money. It was hard to support a family at that level.
“That rings true when I go to Sault, Ste, Marie,” he continued. “That is the only show in town; it is everything to that community. I felt pressure there. I go to the Toronto Marlies. It is a big city, as AHL markets go, and there is pressure there, expectation, and there are eyeballs on you. Then the NHL, of course, being the pinnacle of it all.”
After a down year and the moves Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald made during the offseason, including trades for Jacob Markstrom and Johnathan Kovacevic and signing Brett Pesce and Stefan Noesen, there is pressure on New Jersey to play past April 16.
“I have internal pressure and expectations of myself,” Keefe said. “To try to operate with a high standard with our entire organization, with our players. We expect to make the playoffs. We expect to be a contender every single year, and that is hard to do. I take every day very seriously here.”
Nov 12, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe watches from the bench against the Florida Panthers during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Before starting the 2024-25 season, The Hockey News spoke with NHL on TNT analysts Anson Carter and Eddie Olczyk about Keefe’s transistion from Toronto to New Jersey.
“I think the internal pressure is probably equal when it comes to any NHL team,” Olczyk said. “The pressure from within, I know, is there, but Keefe probably breathes a little bit easier every day because of the scrutiny that comes with being in Toronto.”
On a typical practice day at Ford Performance Centre, 12 to 15 independent reporters could be covering a Maple Leafs practice. It is a stark difference from the one outlet that attend the Devils’ practices on a consistent basis.
Additionally, Carter made an interesting point when looking at the location of the Devils’ market.
“I think there is pressure to try to win this year because you are always fighting for market share there in New York,” he said. “Being a former New York Rangers player and knowing how much they dominate the headlines, New Jersey is kind of stuck in that long shadow they cast there. I think the Devils want to get back and make sure people are aware of who they are in the market.”
While the closest team in proximity to the Colorado Avalanche is close to an eight-hour drive away, New Jersey contends with three teams within a two-hour drive. The market is saturated, and at the end of the day, it is a business, and team owners want fans in the seats.
Jan 4, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe (center) stands behind the bench before the start of the third period against the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Keefe may not be under the microscope that he was in Toronto, but the pressure he has felt at every level of his head coaching career remains the same.
There is an expectation that the Devils will return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs this spring, which leads to pressure for Keefe to lead his team to the postseason. Anything short of a first-round playoff appearance would be a disappointment and a colossal failure.
Keefe understands this and has heard the crowds at Prudential Center cheer after a victory and voice their displeasure when the game doesn’t go New Jersey’s way.
“There is a lot of passion in this fan base,” Keefe said. “I have learned that quickly, this is a very passionate fanbase that expects a lot from their team, their players, and from their coach. I don’t take that lightly for a second.”
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