But their road to the playoffs hit a major pothole this week when New Jersey’s top goal-scorer, center Jack Hughes, underwent shoulder surgery on Wednesday and was ruled out for the rest of the season. The Devils placed him on long-term injured reserve, meaning that they will have to try to fend off the Rangers, among other challengers, without their best offensive player.

Hughes leads the Devils in goals (27), game-winning goals (seven), shots on goal (229) and is tops among their forwards in average ice time (20:54). His 70 points are tied with Jesper Bratt for the team lead, and he’s second in assists (43) behind Bratt’s 53.

#NEWS: Jack Hughes underwent shoulder surgery earlier today and will be placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR).

Jack is expected to make a full recovery and be available for training camp.

📰: https://t.co/m06KjtAdPj pic.twitter.com/E2qNzfROk6

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) March 5, 2025

The Devils said the surgery, performed by Dr. Peter Millett at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado, was a success and that Hughes will be ready for training camp in September.

New Jersey was without Hughes for its 4-3 road loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday – a game that saw the Devils overcome a late 3-1 deficit before losing on Thomas Harley’s goal with five seconds remaining. The loss dropped them to 33-24-6; they are four points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the first wild card, and five in front of the Ottawa Senators and the Rangers. New Jersey has lost three of its past four games and been spiraling for the past two months.

The vulnerable Devils have played one more game than the Rangers and two more than the Blue Jackets and Senators. The Rangers lost 3-2 in overtime to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, a game that ended shortly after the Senators beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in OT. The Rangers visit Ottawa on Saturday.

“It’s obviously a big loss for our team, but we had some talks already about it,” Devils captain Nico HIschier said before the loss in Dallas. “I think right now, we just got to dig in. I think we all know that Jack would’ve loved to be here with us playing in Dallas.”

Hughes sustained the shoulder injury in the final minutes of a 2-0 road loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.

Jack Hughes was injured on this play against the Golden Knights. He underwent shoulder surgery on Wednesday and will miss the rest of the season. https://t.co/zMvB0pvPPv pic.twitter.com/XbKTKq0Fgc

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 5, 2025

LISTEN to the RINK RAP podcast with special guest Marty Biron.

Jack Hughes season-ending injury massive blow to Rangers rival

The first player taken in the 2019 NHL Draft was on an odd-man-rush with Hischier before his feet got tangled up with Vegas center Jack Eichel, who played with him on Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off. It caused Hughes to go sliding into the boards at high speed with almost no time to protect himself before the collision.

The 23-year-old was holding his right arm and was in visible pain as he skated off the ice and went right to the locker room. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe was ejected for yelling at officials because no penalty was called on the play — and on Wednesday the NHL fined him $25,000 for what the League called unprofessional conduct directed at the officials.

Hughes had surgery on his shoulder in April 2024 and missed the final four games of the regular season. He was healthy by training camp and had not missed a game this season until Tuesday.

“Jack’s a very important player, so the whole group was feeling for him the other night, myself and the coaching staff included,” Keefe said Tuesday, before the extent of the injury was known. “Injuries are part of the game, but just the nature of it and all of that makes it tougher and also knowing what he’s been through in the past.”

By placing Hughes on LTIR, the Devils have more salary cap space to be buyers before the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday at 3 p.m. ET. The Devils could look to add forward depth for a team that’s won back-to-back games just once in 2025 and is 9-13-1 in the new year.

Hughes has 351 points (141 goals, 210 assists) in 368 regular-season games for the Devils and 11 points (six goals, five assists) in 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games, all in 2023 when they defeated the Rangers in the opening round before losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second.

He has feasted on the Rangers during his career, with 16 goals and 28 points in 23 games — the most goals and points he’s had against any NHL team.

The Devils could also be without first-pair defenseman Dougie Hamilton when they host the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. Hamilton left the game Tuesday with an injury, and the Devils had no update on his condition Wednesday. The Devils acquired veteran defenseman Brian Dumoulin from the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday for a second-round pick in the 2025 draft and Herman Traff, a 19-year-old forward playing in Sweden.

According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, Peter Laviolette and Mike Babcock were interviewed recently. This news comes after Elliotte Friedman noted that the Rangers have also received permission to speak with Toronto Maple Leafs assistant Spencer Carbery.

Related: Rangers to interview Spencer Carbery

Rangers Rumors: Coaching Search updates

When the Rangers dismissed Gerard Gallant, the immediate favorite became Laviolette. The 58 year-old was fired by the Washington Capitals after they missed the playoffs this past season and appears to be the safest option. He won the Stanley Cup back in 2005-2006.

This is quite the opposite of Babcock, who is known for questionable tactics to motivate players. However, Larry Brooks of the NY Post noted in his latest Slap Shots column that the Columbus Blue Jackets are possibly close to hiring the 60 year-old bench boss.

So we’re told by a reputable source that the disgraced Mike Babcock is “far down the line with a team,” and the inference is that the team is the Blue Jackets.

NY Post

This is good news on many levels because there’s rumblings that some in the Rangers organization were against Babcock as a candidate. The question we aren’t going to get any answers to is who was and wasn’t in favor of the move.

While there are still many names tied to the Rangers job such as Seattle Kraken assistant coach Jay Leach and Hartford Wolf Pack head coach Kris Knoblauch, the latest news out of Toronto could change things quickly.

The Maple Leafs dismissed GM Kyle Dubas and are looking for his replacement. That could mean the end of Sheldon Keefe as the team’s head coach. Should he become available, I believe he’s the Blueshirts top target to take over behind the bench.

Keefe, 42, has spent four seasons as an NHL coach all with the Leafs. He’s amassed a record of 166-71-30 over that span. While he’s always had star players up front, he’s never had a goaltender of Igor Shesterkin’s caliber to cover up their mistakes. Having Shesterkin will automatically help whatever defensive system he implements.

Of course, there’s one more wrinkle to add and that’s the possibility Joel Quenneville will be allowed to coach again. Commissioner Gary Bettman will meet with the disgraced coach after the playoffs. Quenneville was forced to resign for his role in the Kyle Beach scandal at the start of last season.

A report in early May stated the Rangers would not push for Bettman to speak with Quenneville and that he wasn’t a candidate.

One has to wonder, if there’s some level of discord in management over interviewing Babcock why would it not be the same for Quenneville? Something tells me this offseason is only going to become more intriguing with each passing day.

Heading into this season, the pressure was turned up high for the Leafs, who had failed to win a single playoff series since 2004. Toronto was able to knock off the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round and were salivating to take on their next opponent.

The Florida Panthers shocked the league-leading Boston Bruins after squeaking into the playoffs as the second wild card in the East. It was supposed to be an easier path to the Eastern Conference Finals, instead it became a nightmare.

New York Rangers waiting on Sheldon Keefe

Toronto’s Stanley Cup drought is now at 56 years and probably has Leafs’ fans lamenting their chant of “We Want Florida” after eliminating the Lightning.

The moment Nick Cousins scored in overtime to end the series in just five games, all focus in Toronto turned to the fates of GM Kyle Dubas and Keefe.

Depending on who you listen to, Dubas’ job situation isn’t as perilous as early speculation made it out to be. However, he doesn’t have a contract and if the Pittsburgh Penguins offer him the world, he may leave on his own.

What does that have to do with Keefe? Well, if Dubas goes elsewhere and the Leafs fire their bench boss, it will be tougher for the Rangers to lure him.

Keefe, 42, has spent four seasons as an NHL coach all behind the Leafs bench. He’s amassed a record of 166-71-30 over that span. However, his postseason record of 13-17 is a little less than desirable.

That being said, Keefe has never had good goaltending while he’s been with Toronto. Matter of fact, at least 10 different goalies have suited up in a Leafs uniform during his tenure. Having Igor Shesterkin will automatically help whatever defensive system he wants to implement.

He also knows how to coach superstars getting top notch production out of players like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and John Tavares.

After the Panthers celebrations died down, Florida’s head coach Paul Maurice had some glowing praise for his counterpart.

“Sheldon Keefe is a phenomenal coach,” Maurice said. “We all have windows. We all have our time. He can coach in this league for 20 years if he wants to.”

Will Keefe’s next few years be in Toronto or might we see him on Broadway?

The Rangers are waiting to find out.

Should the Toronto Maple Leafs lose to the Florida Panthers, who lead this series 3-0, Sheldon Keefe is likely to be let go. Despite beating the Tampa Bay Lightning and getting Toronto their first series win since 2004, his star-studded team is on the brink of elimination against the East’s second wild card.

To be fair, the Panthers rallied from a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Boston Bruins to open the playoffs. An impressive feat considering the historic regular-season the Bruins had.

Related: Rangers dismiss two assistant coaches

Rangers Rumors: Sheldon Keefe or Mike Sullivan

Keefe, 42, has spent four seasons as an NHL coach all behind the Leafs bench. He’s amassed a record of 166-71-30 over that span. However, his postseason record of 12-16 heading into tonight’s elimination game is less than desirable.

That being said, Keefe has never had good goaltending while he’s been with Toronto. Matter of fact, at least 10 different goalies have suited up in a Leafs uniform during his tenure.

Would having Igor Shesterkin help Keefe, who prior to becoming the Leafs head coach in 2019-20 was considered one of the best bench bosses not in the NHL?

Of course, the Rangers are really looking to bring in someone with a track record for winning Stanley Cups. Many fans are lamenting or scheming on how to get Mike Sullivan to coach the Blueshirts.

Well according to the NY Post’s Larry Brooks, it could be a possibility.

Should the Leafs lose and there’s a complete housecleaning in Toronto, GM Kyle Dubas may be available. The Pittsburgh Penguins are currently searching for Ron Hextall’s replacement and could bring in Dubas, who in turn may hire Keefe to coach.

Well that leaves Sullivan open to joining the Rangers as their new leading man.

Sullivan, 55, has a record of 407-253-15 over 10 seasons split between the Bruins and Penguins. He’s won the Stanley Cup twice with Pittsburgh (2016 and 2017) and has a playoff record of 47-42.

Funny thing, I do remember Rangers fans screaming their collective lungs out over the team’s anemic power play when Sullivan was an assistant coach under John Tortorella from 2009-2013. I guess watching him win titles elsewhere seems to have changed a lot of minds.

Whether this wild scenario happens or not remains to be seen. The current field of candidates to replace Gerard Gallant doesn’t bring with it a whole lot of excitement, so whipping up dream storylines makes sense.

So I will pass along this scenario that was just presented to me.

Dubas leaves Toronto to become Pittsburgh GM, brings Keefe with him, as such fires Mike Sullivan, who in turn becomes free (assuming permission) to become NYR HC.

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) May 9, 2023

In what is becoming a sideshow NHL story, the Rangers coaching search saga takes another twist.

Quinn in mix again?

This was just tweeted by SN’s Elliotte Friedman

The Rangers are the only NHL team without a head coach, but there is word this afternoon that once again the focus is on Boston University’s David Quinn.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) May 18, 2018

Even more interesting, it looks like Sheldon Keefe is out.

My understanding at this point is it won’t be Sheldon Keefe, who was debated internally by NYR. Barring further NHL openings, he is under contract and probably staying with Marlies. https://t.co/kDGv6Tu8pV

— James Mirtle (@mirtle) May 18, 2018

For more on this coaching circus, read today’s post on Rangers direction.

Having multiple options is usually a very good thing. Unfortunately for the Rangers it cost them Jim Montgomery and may continue to hamper them in their search for a new coach.

Rebuild or Retool

Larry Brooks not so long ago wrote that, “Quibbling over whether the Rangers are entering a “complete rebuild” or “aggressive retool” represents a mindless waste of energy.” While that may be true, it matters to certain people, particularly those taking over as head coach.

You see, the Rangers aren’t fully committed either way because they have so many options that they can take. It is likely what caused them to lose out on the coach they wanted, Jim Montgomery.

As we wrote recently, Montgomery’s comments after being hired by Dallas raised red flags on the Rangers situation. Now, as we are learning more about the situation, this particular quote resonates further.

“In our two interviews, he was very confident how to build, how to continue, what he has and where they are going. That was my first question, what are your expectations? He said they want to win, are at the peak of our window for next two-to-five years. It was matter-of-fact, not selling, but what he believes. He’s elite at what he does, no BS, here’s what we are doing and where we are going.”

I’ve learned that Montgomery was genuinely concerned with the uncertainty of the path the Rangers wanted to take. Initially, the objective is to teach and develop younger players like Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil. The monkey wrench in the plan is going out on the UFA market and bringing in the likes of Ilya Kovalchuk and possibly, John Tavares. What would that mean? Develop kids, but hey we have to make the playoffs and win the Cup too? What coach coming out of the minors or college wants that task at their feet.

Sure if successful, they will have paved their future in gold but it’s more likely to bust and damage future job offerings.

Where the Search Stands Now

While B.U. coach, David Quinn’s name still lingers out there, you have to wonder if he didn’t have a call with the Rangers, heard what Montgomery heard and opted to stay where he is. On Bob McKenzie’s recent podcast he said, “I believe their guy was Jim Montgomery, that that was who they wanted to be their head coach. I don’t know whether a contract was ever offered or not and if Montgomery had a choice between the Rangers and the Dallas Stars, but in any case, Montgomery is the head coach in Dallas, not in NY.”

McKenzie in essence is confirming everything I’ve learned about the situation too. However, the lack of a definitive direction is not helping right now in the search for a coach. If it continues, it will also hurt the chances of luring Sheldon Keefe to NY.

The Rangers are going to have to make their direction more concrete in order to land the next man they want behind the bench. Otherwise, they will be bringing in an out of work veteran coach that may not fit the final plan they decide on.

Rangers management is in Palm Springs California, preparing for their biggest offseason in years. One of their primary tasks is searching for a coach.

Coaching Search

Officially off the list is Jim Montgomery, who took the Stars job in Dallas. Unofficially, David Quinn of Boston told those close to him that he wasn’t leaving B.U.. Rick Carpiniello who covers the Rangers for the Athletic noted that he believes Lindy Ruff, and Wolf Pack coach, Keith McCambridge are not up for the job. He also highly doubts that Dave Tippett is not either, although our Editor in Chief disagrees.

One interesting name that he mentioned was Minnesota-Duluth’s head coach. Scott Sandelin played seven seasons in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadians, and Minnisota North-Stars before getting into the coaching biz.

Sandelin’s Credentials

Sandelin accepted the job as the head coach of the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs on March 20, 2000. As head coach, he has led the Bulldogs to six 22 plus win seasons and four NCAA tournament appearances (2003–04, 2008–09, and 2010–2012). In (2008–09) he beat his former North Dakota team to become the Final Five Champions of the WCHA. Then in (2010–2011) the Bulldogs made a run in the NCAA tournament to become the 2011 NCAA Champions, beating Yale, Union, Notre Dame and Michigan for the title. Last year, Sandelin led the Bulldogs to the NCAA finals, and this year Duluth won the NCAA championship. Below you can find his coaching record, courtesy of Wikipedia.com.

Sandelin also coached Rangers defenseman Neal Pionk, so while it’s a small connection, there is one there. Sandelin has also has helped develop many NHL players such as Justin Faulk, Alex Stalock, and J.T. Brown.

The Rangers are in the process of rebuilding so we should be seeing an influx of young players making their way to the Rangers in the near future. A fault in Alain Vigneault’s coaching style was that he did not let younger players grow, and opted to play older players over younger ones (a la Buchnevich). We know that finding a coach that can develop young talent is a priority for the Rangers, and given Sandelin’s track record, this may not be a bad option.

Not Interested in Keefe?

While many Rangers fans sound like they would sell their souls for Sheldon Keefe, Carpiniello isn’t biting. He believes that the Toronto Marlies coach is not a serious contender. That flies in the face of all the speculation, but Carpiniello has been following the Rangers for years and comes a close second to Larry Brooks for Rangers insights.

No Rush to Hire

Carpiniello then says this: “At this late date – and though Gorton said it’s not necessary to have the coach in place at the draft, but it certainly would be advantageous to have one a week later, for free agency – I would not be surprised if the Rangers’ next head coach comes completely out of left field.”

Given the fact that Montgomery was hired by the Dallas Stars and there are not that many “high-profile” names available, this makes sense. Who knows if the Rangers will hire a coach before the draft and free-agency, but it would certainly make sense to.

As the playoffs come to a close, more and more Rangers news will surface. This offseason is setting up to be an exciting one. Stay tuned to Forever Blueshirts for all your Rangers news. Thanks for the read! Make sure you check out Rick Carpiniello’s article here.

Other Teams Moving Quick

The Flames filled their coaching vacancy with former Canes coach, Bill Peters. Dallas hired NCAA coach, Jim Montgomery which could kick off a wave of coaches with no NHL bench experience coming in. Another college coach, David Quinn of B.U. appears to not want to leave, thus making Sheldon Keefe of Toronto’s affiliate, the Marlies a top candidate for the Rangers.

Keefe is a 37 year old AHL coach with limited NHL playing experience. The new age hockey fans love him because he’s very big into advanced analytics. If you listen to some of the talk, he sounds like the second coming of Scotty Bowman, but armed with a spreadsheet instead of a clipboard.

To be fair, they may be right. He is seeing the game as it is currently constituted today and should have a long career behind the bench in the NHL. Even though the Rangers are “rebuilding”, that’s a lot of pressure to put on a coach with no NHL experience in NY.

On the flip side, may I remind you all of Dallas Eakins and how that turned out.

Rangers Coaching Qualifications

James Dolan revealed in April what the Rangers are looking for in their next coach. Here are the high points:

• Must be a developmental coach
• Able to work with young and veteran players alike
• Understand and use today’s analytics
• Work with assistants and training staff to put programs into place
• Quickly identify deficiencies and fix them
• NHL coaching experience a plus

If you read what is written above, Sheldon Keefe appears to be able to qualify. Still, for such a big job and for one of the toughest fanbases in the NHL, that last bullet point seems more important than what we are being led to believe.

Dave Tippett fits the bill

When Tippett left Arizona, he said it was the right time to go. The team changed owners and was overhauling the organization. They got rid of players like goaltender, Mike Smith and forward, Shane Doan and looked to bring in younger players. It appeared the writing was on the wall that Tippett was likely going to be on that list of changes too.

When Tippett left, he made it abundantly clear that he wasn’t looking to become the next NHL Network analyst, he wanted to keep coaching. Why not? The 56 year old bench boss has amassed a record of 553-413-28 during the regular season. He has the proven track record to coach in the NHL and could handle the pressures of NY during this “rebuild”.

In a recent interview with the NY Post, former coach, Dan Bylsma mentioned Tippett to the Rangers makes sense. “I’ve seen the talk that might mean a younger coach, a coach that could develop with the group as well,” Bylsma told the Post. “There are always coaches that are on their way up, so to speak. They are viewed as development coaches, I guess.”

When he spoke of Tippett he said, “We’ve seen him behind a NHL bench before. So why isn’t Dave Tippett a development coach? He’s developed players for a long time.” That sounds like an endorsement from one veteran coach to another. So why not Tippett is a fair question.

The Argument Against is Weak

One of the knocks against Tippett is he is too defensive minded. If that’s the case, I’m sure Lundqvist wouldn’t mind. The truth is that he loves skilled players, but like any winning coach wants them to be responsible. One of the NHL’s most talented centers, Mike Modano who played for Tippett reaffirmed that notion by saying “it was a horeshit rumor” that Tippet isn’t offensive minded.

Another knock on Tippett is that he doesn’t like young players. Young Coyotes forward, Max Domi dismissed that in his rookie year. Domi told the reporters that in one conversation, Tippett explained to him that there are times I want you to make the play, and others where you need to play if safe. Ultimately, he knows mistakes will come but he needs him to learn from them.

“That’s the biggest thing for me, that sense of comfort and trust he has in me and that understanding that that’s what my game is. At the same time, he’s trying to teach me when I shouldn’t be doing those things so it’s been a great relationship.” – Max Domi

As far as the new age hockey fans are concerned, Tippett embraces analytics as well. Early in his career, Tippett developed his own set of numbers and did the calculations by hand. He also embraced the hiring of new Arizona GM, John Chayka before departing due to philosophical differences with the organization.

Rebuild or Not, New York is a tough place to learn

Whether or not this is a true rebuild or just a retool, NY is a tough place to be in. Sheldon Keefe does have the makings of a great future coach, but handling the NY media and the crowd during struggles might be a tall order on top of learning to coach in the NHL.

Dave Tippett may just be the perfect fit. Before Alain Vigneault was hired, he was one of my top coaching candidates to replace John Tortorella. Tippett did win the Jack Adams award in 2012 after getting the Coyotes back into the playoffs after 8 years. The guy knows how to win, and he knows how to get the most out of the talent he has in the lineup.

In the end, I believe the Rangers will be looking at either Keefe or Tippett. When all is said and done, the Rangers will take the experience over potential for 2018-19. It’s comes off as the safe play, but it is also the right one.

According to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, David Quinn has taken himself out of the running for the Rangers head coaching job.

Although Quinn has not informed the Rangers as of yet, according to Brooks, it appears he will not be coaching on Broadway next season.

Quinn is currently the Head Coach at Boston University and does not appear to be looking to move.

Following the news that Jim Montgomery was hired by the Dallas Stars, the Rangers head coaching situation has become somewhat murkier. Montgomery and Quinn were both on the short list of coaches rumored to be pursued by the Rangers. With their removal from the conversation, the focus now shifts to Sheldon Keefe. However, Keefe is still coaching in the AHL playoffs for the Toronto Marlies and is unavailable to be interviewed. Often credited with the development of some of the talented young group in Toronto, Keefe may be exactly what the Rangers are looking for as they look to develop their own young corps.

WHAT’S NEXT?

With the Rangers coaching candidate list growing smaller by the day, it will be very interesting to see how the Rangers approach their vacancy behind the bench. As always, continue to follow the Forever Blueshirts Team for the latest New York Rangers news.

As reported by New York Post writer, Larry Brooks, and various other outlets, Jim Montgomery will be announced as the next coach of the Dallas Stars within the next few days. Montgomery, 48, was one of the top candidates for the Rangers head coach opening but with him off the market it’s time for them to look elsewhere. That “elsewhere” the Rangers should look is up north in Toronto where the Toronto Marlies play. Their head coach, Sheldon Keefe, should now be moved to the top of their list.

Keefe, 37, is a former NHL player. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1999 but was forced to end his playing career in 2005 over a knee injury. Keefe may not have had a long and successful NHL career but from the second he became involved in coaching it’s clear he had the midas touch. At every stage of his coaching career the man has succeeded and has become one of the brightest young coaching minds in the game.

Resume

Keefe’s first coaching job was with the Pembroke Lumber Kings; a Junior ‘A’ club playing in the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL). He had purchased the team in July of 2003 during his playing days. He started out as an associate coach, but Keefe got promoted to head coach and general manager on June 6, 2006 in just his second season with the club. The previous head coach and GM, Kevin Abrams, was promoted to CCHL commissioner.

Keefe had unprecedented success with the Lumber Kings. During his tenure as head coach they won five straight CCHL championships along with the 2011 Royal Bank Cup. Keefe would become the all-time leader in wins and win percentage for the Lumber Kings. He finished his Junior ‘A’ career with a coaching record of 285-95-12.

During the 2011-12 season, Keefe announced he would be leaving Pembroke for the opportunity to coach the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). On December 3rd, 2012 Keefe would be official named head coach of the SSMG and after turning around a Pembroke club into a powerhouse, he would do the same for the Greyhounds.

Keefe would spend two and a half seasons behind the bench of the Greyhounds. In his two full season behind the bench, he went a combined 98-29-9 and earned the Matt Leyden Trophy in 2014-15 as the OHL’s top coach and was named Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Coach of the Year that same season. Although he didn’t win a league title with the Greyhounds (they made it to the second round and west final but were defeated by Connor McDavid’s Erie Otters both years) he established a winning culture and since his tenure the Greyhounds have been an absolute powerhouse in the OHL.

Keefe’s next coaching move would be to the Toronto Marlies of the AHL and he has continued his brand of success by going a combined 150-63-15. The Marlies are currently fighting for the Calder Cup in the AHL playoffs where they are set to start their second round series against the Syracuse Crunch tonight at 7 pm. Keefe is seeking his first AHL title.

Why Keefe should be the next Rangers Coach

Keefe has been described as a coach who really knows how to teach the game and knows how to work with young and developing players. He would be the prime choice for the New York Rangers right now as the only place he has yet to test his skills is the NHL level and as a rebuilding team the Rangers could use a coach like him.

Guys like Jon Cooper and Jared Bednar show that NHL coaching experience are not prerequisites to being a successful NHL coach and Keefe would be a great coaching for all the young guys that will be entering the Rangers system in within the next few seasons. He preaches puck possession and fast play with and without the puck. He knows how to work one-on-one with players and he won’t rag on younger players who may make the odd mistake or two.

This rebuilding Rangers team will need a voice in the room that’s both challenging to them but won’t make them fear for their ice time is they make a mistake. They need a guy who sees the way the game is going and coaches his teams to be the best at what they can do. Keefe is that guy. His style of coaching is a huge difference from John Tortorella’s shot blocking defense first approach and Alain Vigneault’s quick strike approach but it is exactly what the Rangers need.

With Mike Babcock firmly entrenched as the Maple Leafs coach for years to come, Keefe deserves every chance to coach at the NHL level somewhere and the Rangers should be the team that gives him that chance.