Sheldon Keefe Called Out For Being 'Soft' Following His Loss Against The Maple Leafs
Known for having a reputation as being less hard-nosed than other coaches, Sheldon Keefe's being called out for how his coaching led to a Devils loss.
Throughout his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, former head coach Sheldon Keefe was often criticized for how he utilized his team, often stacking the lineup and trying to play a more finesse-style of play as opposed to a gritty aggressive approach.
His propensity to play a bit against the grain compared to traditional coaching methods can lead to success, but it also comes back to haunt him. It was the latter that happened when New Jersey fell to the Maple Leafs in overtime on Tuesday.
It was this type of play that drew the ire of JD Bunkis and Sam McKee, as the two analysts discussed how Keefe's style of coaching and lack of response to Max Pacioretty's hit was detrimental to the Devils:
That's such a bad response from a team; you wanna be like 'There's just a coincidence they're the same team; no. How do you not draw a parallel between Keefe and that?"
The Stark Contrast Between Craig Berube And Sheldon Keefe
The mentality shift in both locker rooms is apparent, as Berube has instilled a no-nonsense, gritty, and defensive-first vision onto his players and for the most part it's succeeded.
For Keefe's Devils, it's been a solid year as well however it's moments like these that make fans wonder if come playoff time: Will their lack of aggression be their weakness?
In years past, if Toronto players such as Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner got bullied, more often than not there would be a minimal response as Keefe focused on scoring.
Perhaps if Keefe had focused a bit more on protecting his players and adding a bit more tenacity to his team, it would have led to a better playoff result as opposed to a lack of scoring.
But with Berube in tow, Marner is even joining in on the aggressive side of things and has shown a bit more edge since the new head coach was hired. Toronto is scrappier, they hit more, and try to use mind games to get under their opponent's skin.
While both teams have found success with their new head coaches, it's a testament to how a change was needed on both ends.
New Jersey needed a coach who could connect and work with the younger superstars, and Toronto needed a hard-nosed veteran to bring them back to glory.
The only thing remains is which coach will reign supreme when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup.
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