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Ron Ellis Passes Away At 79

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Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ron Ellis has passed away at the age of 79, the team has shared (Twitter link). Ellis spent the entirety of his 16-year career in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, joining as an undrafted free agent in 1964. He is one of just five players to play 1,000 games with the Leafs and ranks seventh on the club’s all-time scoring list, recently being passed up by Auston Matthews.

Ellis is most well known for his role on Toronto’s 1967 Stanley Cup team. At just 22, Ellis tallied 22 goals and 45 points in 67 games, ranking him third on the Leafs in scoring. He slowed down a bit in the postseason, with just three points in 12 games, though he still recorded 36 shots en route to the Cup.

That season was just the beginning of Ellis’ successful career. He’d top the 45-point mark in each of the next nine seasons, including two years reaching the 50-point mark and a career-high 61 points in 1974-75. Ellis and Dave Keon were pillars of the Maple Leafs’ offense throughout the 1970s, offering consistent scoring as Toronto brought in their next generation through the likes of Lanny McDonald, Darryl Sittler, and Borje Salming.  Ellis was also a member of the infamous  1972 Summit Series, where Soviet Russia took on a Canadian lineup full of NHL talent. The Canadians would win the series 4-3, with Ellis recording three assists.

Ellis was the runner-up to Roger Crozier’s Calder Trophy win in 1965, following a year where Crozier played 70 games and posted a .913 save percentage. His rookie season was his only time in the race for an award, though he did receive Lady Byng Trophy votes in 1979. Ellis was one of seven members of the 1967-Cup winners to be recognized with the 2024 NHL Alumni Association ’Keith Magnuson Man of the Year’ Award in February.

Ellis is survived by his wife Jan, son RJ, daughter-in-law Renata, and their families. PHR sends our condolences to Ellis’ family, friends, and the entire Maple Leafs fanbase.

Metropolitan Notes: Devils Coaching Search, Chytil, Quapp

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The Devils are hoping to have their coaching search wrapped up in the near future now that Travis Green is now in Ottawa.  Craig Berube and Jay Woodcroft have been linked to the position already but Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported in a recent NHL Network appearance (video link) that Todd McLellan has also interviewed for the position and could be in the mix for a second interview as well.  McLellan is one of the most experienced coaches available with 1,144 career regular season games under his belt, good for 24th all-time.  His teams have played to a .581 points percentage over that time but he was let go midseason by Los Angeles with the Kings underachieving at the time.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Rangers center Filip Chytil is listed as a game-time decision for tonight’s fourth game against Carolina, relays Mollie Walker of the New York Post. Head coach Peter Laviolette indicated that Chytil didn’t feel well when he woke up this morning.  The 24-year-old returned to the lineup on Thursday after missing more than six months with concussion troubles; Laviolette declined to comment on if Chytil’s symptoms were related to those symptoms.  If Chytil doesn’t play, it appears as if Jonny Brodzinski will be in line to make his first appearance of the playoffs with Matt Rempe expected to remain a healthy scratch.
  • Hurricanes goalie prospect Nikita Quapp has signed a one-year contract with Dusseldorfer EG in the German League, per a team announcement. The 21-year-old was a sixth-round pick back in 2021 (187th overall) but has spent most of his time in Germany’s second division since then.  Quapp played in 26 games on loan to Lausitzer Fuchse this season, posting a 2.63 GAA and a .920 SV%.  Carolina has until June 1st, 2025 to sign Quapp so this will be his last chance to try to demonstrate that he’s worthy of an NHL contract.

PHR Mailbag: Playoffs, Bruins, Jets, Devils, Draft

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Topics in this edition of the PHR Mailbag include some discussion about the playoffs, what New Jersey’s big-game hunting could look like in the coming weeks, and much more.  With all the questions submitted, we’ll break it into three columns between now and next weekend so if yours doesn’t appear here, check back in one of those pieces.

schwa: Few questions here:

What was the biggest surprise to you in the first round?
What’s your favorite matchup for the second?
What potential matchup excites you most for CFs / SCF?

There weren’t a lot of surprises for me in the first round but Winnipeg flaming out would be the biggest.  While I had concerns that their core group – one that has been more miss than hit in the postseason – could sustain a long run, I thought they really had a chance to get past Colorado, especially with Alexandar Georgiev struggling mightily down the stretch.  But the Avs picked them apart and made it look easy which is hard to do to a team that put up 110 points in the regular season.  While I had the Jets winning, the fact the Avalanche did isn’t the biggest surprise.  But how they did it was something I wasn’t expecting.

Going into the round, it was Colorado and Dallas and that hasn’t changed.  The Stars are one of the most balanced teams in the league but had the toughest first-round battle.  They can match the Avalanche talent-wise but are they going to wear down as this series went on with how hard the Vegas matchup was?  These are two of the top teams in the NHL but that question is going to linger for me.

For Conference Final matchups, I think Edmonton and Colorado would be intriguing just for the potential for some back-and-forth, high-octane hockey that we don’t typically see that deep into the playoffs.  In the East, it looks like the Rangers are coming out of the Metropolitan and if I’m picking for what might be the more interesting series from a watching perspective, it’d be Florida.  Then, for the Cup Final, the Avs and Rangers.  If I was predicting what was going to happen, that’s probably not where I’d go but those would be some compelling series.

Nha Trang: Will the numerous pundits who predicted that the Bruins were going to go down in the biggest first-round upset enjoy the crow they’re being served, or will they collectively pretend they never made such a prediction and hope people have forgotten?

While we didn’t publish our picks, I’ll be up front and say I had Toronto winning that series.  It wasn’t my biggest upset prediction (Nashville over Vancouver which also didn’t pan out was) but I thought the Maple Leafs would be able to score enough to get through this round and then fall to Florida again.  Frankly, it was a close enough series on paper heading in that I don’t think many would have had that as their biggest upset.

As to your question, I’m sure some will try to pretend they didn’t pick it but that’s the beauty of internet archiving; anyone who posted their picks has those picks saved somewhere.  But collectively, no, I don’t think there would have been any group effort to deny the existence of those selections.

Besides, it’s not as if the Bruins ran away with that series.  It took seven games and three attempts to clinch it with the winning goal coming in overtime.  It was a pretty tightly played series overall so if you’re hoping to see some ‘I was wrong about the Bruins’ comments, they might have to get a little deeper into the postseason and win a bit more convincingly.

Cla23: Do you see Sean Monahan signing long-term with the Jets?

Do you see coach Bowness sign an extension or will he choose to retire and spend his time with his beautiful wife? After the scary year they had on a personal/health level.

If he retires, is it Scott Arniel’s time to be head coach?

When it comes to Monahan, a lot of it is going to revolve around what he’s looking for.  Is he looking to go to a contender?  Is he looking to maximize money?  Will the term of the contract be the top priority?  If he wants a longer-term deal, I think Winnipeg would have a very good chance at keeping him.  Monahan had a strong start to the year with Montreal and fit in quite well following the trade.  He fits on that roster as it’s currently constructed and Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff might be more inclined to offer up a longer-term agreement (despite his injury history) knowing it isn’t always easy attracting talent to Winnipeg.  If Monahan gets the term and at least close to the money he’s looking for, I could see him sticking around.

That said, if he wants to go try to play for a contender and is willing to take another short-term deal at a lesser rate to make that happen, then that probably pushes Winnipeg out of things.  We’ll see what his top priority will be for his next contract soon enough.

Obviously, we now know the answer to the Bowness question as he announced his retirement soon after this question was posed.  That didn’t come as much of a surprise to me for the reasons you noted in the question; this was the logical and expected outcome.

As for Arniel, the question I ask myself is this – is he getting any attention for the other vacancies around the league?  While teams don’t exactly divulge this information, it doesn’t seem like it at first glance.  So if Arniel isn’t garnering head coaching attention elsewhere, should he really be up for the top job with the Jets?  I think he’s a safe short-term pick and might be the favorite to land the role but all else being equal, he wouldn’t be my first choice, especially for a team that’s built to try to win now.  I’d be looking for a veteran who might have a shorter shelf life but a proven track record of getting quick results.

SpeakOfTheDevils: Devils said they are going “big-game hunting” this offseason.
Let’s apply this to both the coach and 1A goalie.
Who do they get? Realistically.

Is there a big-game type of coach out there?  Of the coaches that are currently available, is there a true headliner?  In terms of experience and success, it’s probably Joel Quenneville who may or may not be eligible to coach again.  Todd McLellan and Gerard Gallant qualify more as retreads at this point than big-name guys.  Craig Berube would be next but I could see him landing in Toronto.

If I was picking their next coach, I’d swing for upside.  As a result, I’d go right off the board for the coach (when it comes to who has been linked for the position) and pick Jay Leach as their new bench boss.  He’s paid his dues as an assistant and head coach in the minors and now three years as an assistant in Seattle.  He finished up his playing career in New Jersey’s organization as well so there’s a bit of familiarity with the market which helps.  In terms of ‘upside’ for a coach, he’d be near the top of the list so if they take a big swing, maybe it’s for upside over experience.  Having said that, you asked who I think they’ll get, not who I’d pick so for who I think they get, I’ll go with Jay Woodcroft, someone who might still have a perception as a coach with a bit of upside given that he’s still early on in his coaching career.

As for the goalie situation, I think they wind up with Jacob Markstrom.  It sounded like some of the money-related hurdles had been cleared closer to the deadline so if they rekindle talks at that point, they should be able to get something done.  Calgary’s asking price will probably have to come down given the other netminders that many expect to be available and that will help bridge the gap that existed when talks broke down in March.

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Bruins/Panthers Notes: Marchand, Heinen, Bennett, Cousins

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One of the big moments from Friday’s third game of the Panthers-Bruins series was the hit from Sam Bennett on Brad Marchand that caused the latter to leave the game in the second period and not return.  Marchand missed practice today with TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie noting (Twitter links) that the captain is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury and that winger Danton Heinen could take his place in the lineup as it appears he could be ready to return.

Heinen has missed the last four games with an undisclosed injury sustained during the first round against Toronto.  He had 17 goals and 19 assists in 74 games during the regular season – great value for a league minimum contract – and provided the type of depth scoring that Boston has been lacking in recent games.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski adds that Bennett will not face any supplementary discipline for the hit.  Head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters that he didn’t see things the way the league did:

There’s a history there with Bennett. There’s clearly evidence of what went on. People can say it wasn’t intentional. We have our view of it.

Bennett had made his series debut after returning from an upper-body injury in the second game of their opening-round series against Tampa Bay and picked up an assist in a little under 13 minutes of action.  Montgomery clarified that the history he referenced with Bennett in his comment wasn’t solely with Marchand but rather with those types of hits in general.

Meanwhile, Bennett’s return resulted in Nick Cousins being dropped from the lineup.  Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters including Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald that the decision to scratch Cousins wasn’t performance-related but rather wanting some extra coverage at center if Bennett wasn’t able to make it through the game which helped keep Steven Lorentz – who can play down the middle when called upon – in the lineup on the fourth line, a group that has had some success in the series so far.

Offseason Checklist: Ottawa Senators

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The offseason has arrived for three-quarters of the NHL for teams that either missed the playoffs or were eliminated in the first round.  Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months.  Next up is a look at Ottawa.

Expectations were high for the Senators heading into the season.  While they moved Alex DeBrincat, they brought in Vladimir Tarasenko to help cover DeBrincat’s production.  They’d have a full season of Jakob Chychrun this time around and they hoped that Joonas Korpisalo would stabilize things between the pipes.  Not much went according to plan, however, resulting in both GM and coaching changes.  Steve Staios recently checked one big item off their to-do list with Travis Green being named as their new head coach but there is still plenty to work on in the coming months.

Add Defensive Help

On paper, the Senators have a solid top four on the back end but that hasn’t translated to much success on the defensive side of things.  The last time they finished better than 20th in goals allowed was back in 2016-17; they were 26th in that regard this season.  Part of that is goaltending – which has its own section coming up – but defensive structure has been a consistent issue for them.  That was part of the reason Jacques Martin was brought in as the interim coach down the stretch, to help bring in some more defensive fundamentals.

When it comes to their back end, Ottawa has some openings for upgrades.  Erik Brannstrom isn’t a guarantee to be tendered a $2MM qualifying offer with arbitration eligibility while Travis Hamonic is more of a seventh option at most at this point of his career.  Jacob Bernard-Docker is still developing and could become a reliable defender at some point but his spot isn’t entirely secure either.

One complicating factor Staios might encounter is Chychrun’s situation.  He’s entering the final year of his contract, one that pays a team-friendly $4.6MM.  It’s going to cost considerably more than that to re-sign him, however, and Chychrun didn’t exactly give off the impression that he’s eager to sign a long-term extension this summer.  If that is indeed the case, Staios might have to look at the possibility of moving him which won’t exactly help the state of their blueline.

There’s some reason for optimism when it comes to Ottawa’s back end.  A return to health for Thomas Chabot should help things while continued improvement from Jake Sanderson is also likely.  But even if they keep Chychrun, more help is needed.  And if they don’t keep him, they’re probably going to need to try to dip into the free agent waters to try to replace him.

Re-Sign Pinto

It was a strange year for Shane Pinto.  After being unable to come to terms on a new contract, he wound up being suspended for the first half of the season for violating the NHL’s sports wagering rules.  The Sens then rescinded all previous offers and in the end, he had to settle for the pro-rated league minimum upon being cleared to return, an amount that was lower than his qualifying offer last summer.

To his credit, Pinto didn’t show any signs of rust upon his return in January.  Instead, he became an impact player right away and recorded nine goals and 18 assists (a career-high) in the final 41 games while seeing his ice time jump to over 18 minutes a night.

Now, Pinto finds himself in exactly the same situation as he did a year ago.  He’s a restricted free agent and still doesn’t have salary arbitration rights.  He also didn’t truly get the chance to prove that his 20-goal, 35-point showing wasn’t an outlier as while he impressed in the final three months of the year, it’s still only a half-season sample size.

Have the Sens seen enough to commit a long-term agreement to him?  If they’re trying to buy extra years of club control, that should push the AAV past at least the $5MM mark, possibly even past the $6MM threshold on a max-term deal.  He’s 140 games into his NHL career, however, with just 70 points to his name.  Suffice it to say, going that approach comes with some risk, albeit with a higher reward if he’s able to establish himself as a full-time top-six middleman.

With Ottawa’s cap situation and the fact they have other needs to fill, the safer route might be the one they ultimately take which would be a bridge deal.  Pinto is still four years away from UFA eligibility so they could work out a two-year agreement in the $3MM-plus range, giving him an opportunity to demonstrate that he can maintain that level of production over a full season and giving Staios a chance to address some other needs in the coming months.

Look For Goalie Upgrade

On top of looking for help on the back end, Staios should also be looking for an upgrade between the pipes.  This has been somewhat of an annual exercise in recent years as former GM Pierre Dorion tried several different options, none of which have panned out as well as they hoped for.

Last summer, they brought in Korpisalo on a five-year, $20MM contract.  Both the term and price point seemed particularly high for someone who had to take a greater than 50% pay cut the year before.  Having said that, there was a bit of an upside play with the contract if he could have maintained his level of performance from 2022-23.  He didn’t.  Instead, Korpisalo’s numbers were worse than his career averages, resulting in some very inconsistent play from their starter.  With four years left on that deal, it’s hard to see there being much of a trade market for him.

Anton Forsberg, who they thought could be part of their longer-term plans after a breakout year in 2021-22, has also struggled the last couple of years.  He doesn’t have much trade value either but he’s at least on an expiring contract so his spot is the one they can try to upgrade on.

Yes, Mads Sogaard is waiting in the wings (and needs a new deal this summer) but he has another year of waiver exemption left so they can keep him stashed at AHL Belleville getting as much playing time as possible.  He’s undoubtedly part of the longer-term plans but for 2025-26 and beyond.

That’s a small window for Staios to work with as they’ll either be looking for a one-year deal in free agency or trying to trade for one on an expiring contract, using Forsberg’s $2.75MM as an offset.  They’re probably not getting a legitimate starter in this scenario but someone with a track record of even consistently average goaltending would help to shore up a long-standing weakness and would go a long way toward trying to get them back into the playoff picture.

Consider Core Shakeup

On paper, the Senators have a pretty strong core of now-young veterans who were supposed to represent the anchor points of their rebuild and help move them past it.  Despite that, it hasn’t exactly led to much offensive success.  The last time the Sens were in the top half of the NHL in goals scored was back in 2015-16 when none of their current players were in the fold.

At first glance, there’s reason to believe that there is room for internal growth and they’ll be banking on Green helping make that happen.  But should they run it back with the same core group and hope that Green taking over and the team ideally staying healthier – particularly Josh Norris – will be enough of a difference to get them into the postseason?

There are cases to be made both for and against doing that.  This team should be better than it has been based on the talent it has assembled.  It’s certainly plausible that one day, things will come together.  And if it does, they’ll have some key pieces on market-value (or below market-value) deals for multiple years to come.  That’s a good spot to be in.

On the other hand, at some point, running the same core group out there and simply hoping things will work out better this time around has its risks.  It also doesn’t generally have the greatest track record of success.  And this is Dorion’s core group so it stands to reason that Staios might want to put his own stamp on the team.

Fortunately for him, if he does want to shake up the core, the majority of their core pieces are on deals that already are or should be team-friendly at some point.  The exception would be Norris due to injuries but if he can stay healthy, that can still change.  That will give him options as most of the core players would have several suitors, positioning them to receive a significant return.  Would a move like that help or at least be worth trying?  That’s what Staios and his management team will need to decide in the coming weeks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Capitals Re-Assign Alexander Suzdalev

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Capitals prospect Alexander Suzdalev has played in two different leagues already this season and could be suiting up his third one soon enough.  The team announced that they have now re-assigned the forward to AHL Hershey.

The 20-year-old played with WHL Regina last season and fared quite well, recording 38 goals and 48 assists in 66 games and was named to the CHL All-Rookie Team.  However, he opted for a change of scenery for this season as instead of returning to the Pats, he opted to play in Sweden and was loaned to Mora of the second-tier Allsvenskan level.

Things didn’t go as well at that level as Suzdalev was limited to just two goals and an assist in 13 games with them.  When Regina traded his junior rights to Saskatoon in late December, Suzdalev elected to return to junior and played for the Blades down the stretch.  He wasn’t as productive as last season but still managed nine goals and 16 assists in 30 regular season games and added four goals and nine helpers in 16 playoff contests before the Blades were eliminated on Tuesday.

Suzdalev will now join the Bears, the top team in the standings during the regular season.  Hershey is up two games to one in their best-of-five second-round series against Lehigh Valley so it stands to reason that Suzdalev may need to wait a little while before getting his first taste of AHL action.

Kraken Re-Assign Niklas Kokko To AHL

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It was a successful year for Kraken goaltending prospect Niklas Kokko who played in his native Finland.  While the season has come to an end over there, it hasn’t ended for him as Seattle has re-assigned him to AHL Coachella Valley, per the AHL’s transactions log.

The 20-year-old was a second-round pick back in 2022, going 58th overall, and, after a quiet post-draft year, really took off this season.  Kokko started the season with Karpat in Finland’s Liiga but was loaned out to Pelicans midseason.  The move worked out quite well as he received more playing time and his new team took off in the standings.

Kokko posted a 1.49 GAA with a .926 SV% and four shutouts in 13 games (while not losing a single one in regulation time) following the loan before authoring a strong postseason run.  He helped lead Pelicans to the league finals (beating Karpat along the way), putting up a 1.81 GAA and a .925 SV% in 17 contests before they were eliminated by Tappara.

Kokko is already signed by the Kraken and will now get his first taste of the AHL while the Firebirds are participating in the playoffs.  With Coachella Valley’s goalie tandem (anchored by veteran Chris Driedger) both eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer, Kokko could find himself as the new starter as soon as 2024-25.

Atlantic Notes: Marchand, Tavares, Wikman

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It was a tough night for the Bruins on Friday who lost to Florida to now trail two games to one in their second-round series.  They also lost one of their top players in the process with Brad Marchand exiting the game in the second period off a hit from Sam Bennett.  Speaking with reporters postgame including Steve Conroy of the Boston Herald, head coach Jim Montgomery didn’t have any immediate updates about the availability of his captain for Sunday’s contest.  Marchand leads Boston in scoring in the postseason with three goals and seven assists through ten games and with the Bruins struggling offensively the last couple of games, losing their top scorer would certainly be a significant blow.

More from the Atlantic:

  • After being added to Canada’s roster on Friday, Maple Leafs captain John Tavares has been named as captain for the Canadians at the Worlds, Hockey Canada announced (Twitter link). The 33-year-old saw his output dip this season but he still managed 29 goals and 36 assists for Toronto in 80 games but was limited to just one goal and one assist in their first-round loss to Boston.  This is his fourth appearance at the World Championship although it has been a while since Tavares has taken part; he last participated back in 2012.
  • Panthers prospect Albert Wikman has been loaned to Sodertalje in Sweden’s Allsvenskan for next season, per a team announcement (Twitter link). The 19-year-old blueliner was a fourth-round pick last June, going 127th overall.  Wikman spent most of this season playing in Farjestad’s junior system, notching 20 points in 45 games while also making a pair of SHL and Allsvenskan appearances.  While still eligible to play at the junior level, it appears the determination has been made to have him play a full professional campaign at the second-tier level to aid in his development.

Snapshots: Team Sweden, Bennett, Kuzmenko

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Team Sweden named their leadership group for the 2024 IIHF World Championship ahead of their opening game on Friday (Twitter link). Long-time Swedish star Erik Karlsson will serve as the team’s captain, flanked by Victor Hedman and Lucas Raymond as assistant captains.

Karlsson is taking on a significant leadership role in his first appearance with Sweden since the 2017 World Cup. And while he wore an ‘A’ with Sweden in that tournament, this news marks his first time wearing the ’C’ with his home country. Karlsson is no stranger to leadership, having served as the Ottawa Senators captain from 2014 to 2018. He’s also no secret to international hockey, with 23 points across 28 games with Sweden’s Men’s team, including appearances at the World Championship, World Cup, and Olympics.

Sweden won their first contest of the 2024 Worlds, beating Team USA 5-2 thanks to a three-point performance from Joel Eriksson Ek and 28 saves from Filip Gustavsson. They’ll look to maintain the confident start through the rest of the tourney, chasing their first Gold Medal win since 2018.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The Florida Panthers welcomed forward Sam Bennett back to the lineup on Friday (Twitter link). It was his first game since suffering an upper-body injury in Game 2 of Round 1. Bennett recorded a primary assist on Florida’s second goal of the matchup, stepping right back into his role alternating with Anton Lundell. Nick Cousins stepped out of the lineup to make room for Bennett. Cousins has appeared in seven games this postseason, recording one assist and 20 penalty minutes. Bennett offers a big boost to a Florida lineup that’s gone blow-for-blow with the Boston Bruins. He was a major piece of their success last spring, posting 15 points in 20 postseason games.
  • Calgary Flames winger Andrei Kuzmenko has changed agencies, now represented by Newport Sports. The swap was first reported by former Sportsnet reporter Irfaan Gaffar, and seconded by Ryan Pike of Flames Nation (Twitter link). Kuzmenko will now be represented by the same management company as Robert Thomas, Vasily Podkolzin, and Tomas Hertl. He leaves Gold Star Agency, where he was notoriously represented by Daniel Milstein, who served a role in Kuzmenko’s swap from the Vancouver Canucks to the Flames. Kuzmenko found a strong scoring groove in Calgary, netting 25 points in 24 games, and should be poised for a top role next season.

Poll: Who Will Be The Devils Next Head Coach?

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The New Jersey Devils are once again searching for a new head coach, poised to hire their fifth bench manager in as many years after turning over both Lindy Ruff and Travis Green this season. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman described New Jersey’s vacancy as the role with the highest ceiling amidst a long list of teams searching for new hires – and it’s clear to see why. The Devils have one of the most exciting lineups in the league, with the one-two punch of Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier flanked by elite wingers and top defense prospects.

The next head coach will assume a young and talented lineup that should only get better this off-season, with the Devils boasting the 10th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft following Monday’s draft lottery. The team is reportedly open to trading the pick in exchange for impactful lineup pieces, which could only strengthen their ability to make a strong run next season. That certainly seems to be the priority of general manager Tom Fitzgerald, who’s now faced with his toughest decision yet in who to name head coach.

Luckily, the coaching carousel is in full gear, and there is no shortage of strong options available to the Devils. They seem to be assessing every fit they can, even being linked to Sheldon Keefe, the NHL’s most recent free-agent coach after being fired by Toronto on Thursday. Keefe offers the coveted experience of coaching superstar talent before, coming off five years overseeing Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. Finding a way to balance so much skill isn’t always easy, but Keefe made the most of it, with all three stars rivaling 100 points at some point over the last few seasons. Keefe would be greeted by a much stronger defense in New Jersey, giving him a well-rounded roster much more akin to his time with the Toronto Marlies rather than the Maple Leafs. But the Devils have Stanley Cup aspirations, and Keefe’s postseason track record is certainly flawed. That could be the deciding factor in a coaching market with Cup-winning talents available.

Craig Berube, who led the 2019 Cup-winning St. Louis Blues, is reportedly the most popular coach on the market, being linked to nearly every coaching job available, including New Jersey, Toronto, and Ottawa. The popularity could leave the choice up to Berube on where he wants to go next – and the coveted Devils seat could look enticing for a man who had to endure 1,054 career games as a player, and 182 as an NHL head coach, before finally lifting the Stanley Cup. Berube’s chemistry with St. Louis’ younger talent certainly came into question during his time in Missouri, especially near the end of his tenure, but his commandeering style could be exactly what the Devils need after a year of disarray.

Long-term Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan could also offer Cup-winning precedent, should he hit the open market. Sullivan still remains under contract with the Pittsburgh, but could soon be searching for a new home amidst a list of coaching changes in the Penguins organization. Sullivan kicked off his first years in Pittsburgh, and some of his first years as a head coach, with a bang when he won back-to-back Cups in 2016 and 2017. He led Pittsburgh to playoff berths in the subsequent five seasons, though postseason absences in the last two years has his job on the fritz. Sullivan has only served two seasons as a head coach outside of Pittsburgh, making his next steps a bit unprecedented. And while it’s hard to leave a lineup of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang behind, the trio of Hughes, Hischier, and Dougie Hamilton could be a fine replacement.

There are plenty of other options earning coaching interviews around the league, including Gerard Gallant, Todd McLellan, and Jay Woodcroft. But New Jersey will need to be diligent in making their decision. The shift from Ruff to Green showed just how impactful coaching was to this Devils lineup – made most evident by Timo Meier’s 24 points in 21 games under Green after scoring at a 0.62 points-per-game pace under Ruff. He was one of many Devils to find a new groove under Green, and will be among the most important players for a new coach to prioritize. There is plenty of potential throughout the Devils lineup, but after a year of injuries and inconsistency, they’re still searching for their groove. Finding a new head coach will set the bar for just how much a young, ambitious Devils lineup can achieve next year.

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