OverDrive - Keefe on the Devils' red-hot start, the league parity and the season outlook

Episode Date: November 7, 2025

New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe joined OverDrive to discuss the Devils' elite start to the season, the coaching experience in New Jersey, the Devils' winning culture, the parity in the league, how he approaches the Eastern Conference and more.

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Now available on the free IHard Radio app Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams Radio on IHart Radio Who's ready to rock? How's where I go? Kids want to ride. Coach of the Devils, it is indeed. Sheldon Keefe with us here at an hour two of overdrive.

What's up, Sheldon? How you doing? Not too much. I appreciate you guys having me on here, 5.30 on a Friday to talk about the weather. It's perfect. Just go. Well, talk about your team, Red Hot Devils, right? Top spot in the Metro.

Injuries, not an issue like last year. You must be feeling pretty good about your squad so far. Yeah, you know what? We got off the great start, no question. We just kind of came off of a tough road trip that didn't go so well. But, you know, certainly we look at the whole, you know, we're happy with where we're at and recognize that it's still very tight. Lots of teams, I think, are pretty happy with where they're at.

And we've got to obviously keep it moving here. Sheldon, how do you get those guys, like, when it comes crunch time over the playoffs? I know you were a little bit pissy with them out west a couple days ago, whenever it was. But, like, they want to, those guys can move out there and they can boogie up and down the ice. comes to like that getting down to business and grinding it out how do you find a balance with those guys to kind of to really get over the hump we all know what playoff hockey is like and you got to have a balance you got to have your players your skill guys that you have doing what they're doing but it's also a different game yeah no question i mean i think that that's ultimately

we're we're trying to get to uh yeah this is not a team that's been in the playoffs a whole lot historically you know they've had you know i guess last year for a lot of them was the second time playing in the playoffs but we didn't have jack hughes so i didn't get an opportunity for you know to coach him at that time but uh yeah i think there's a couple of things i mean yeah we want to we want to build our game be ready for the playoffs but we also need to build the game in the regular season that mimics that and be prepared that way because i think it's also the most sustainable way to you know to be a good team and not have trips like we just had where you know the bottom kind of falls out on us uh defensively so

that's really that's what we're preaching every single day and you know we've we've got work ahead and stay with it you mentioned jack he seems like quite the character he seems like he might have a few things to say back to whoever it might be but man is he a talented guy when he's on the ice his ability to handle the puck move with the puck shoot the puck he does it all he's a special player there's no question he's able to he's able to do a lot with a little you know and but the way he moves with his feet

and the way he can skate out of pressure or to bring the puck into good places to extend the play and drive offense is pretty special and unique in the league no question but I really enjoy him I think he's a thoughtful guy he's a smart guy he studies the game He studies other players and other teams.

I think he really just, you know, he wants to be in the elite player that his talent shows. I think he's got a lot of drive to be mentioned and recognized amongst the best players. And I think he also recognized that part of that is being on a winning team. So, Sheldon, the league is a little bit different this season, or it seems like it early on. A lot of parody, you know, from the bottom of the, we'll call it the Eastern Conference right to the top. I think there was 10 teams I looked this morning that either had 14 to 17 points. So it seems like a three-game winning streak

or a three-game losing streak can really cede you a lot differently. Are you noticing a little bit more parity this year, or is it just seemed like a unique start where some of the teams that were maybe rebuilding have turned a corner and gotten into that competitive edge? You know what? It's been interesting.

I mean, we're only, I guess we just played our 14th game the other night. We went on an eight-game winning streak, you know, here in the early going, and I don't think we made any ground on anybody. You know, we don't have much of a cushion there. We have, you know, we play a few bad games out on the road trip, and everyone's right there with us. So that's just how tight it is. I think, you know, overall, it seems like, you know, the East has taken a lot of points away from the West in general when you look at it. That said, you know, the West gave it to us pretty good on that trip that I've been talking about here. But yeah, it seems like, you know, a lot of teams, you know, that have been

sort of at the bottom in rebuilding have really taken a step. And all those teams that have just been right on the fringe of the playoffs, you know, hungry and ready to go. And then, of course, there's the usual teams that, you know, some got off the great starts, some got off the poor starts, but everybody seems to be right there. So I don't expect it to change. And then you look around the way, maybe we just played San Jose and Anaheim, even out last. And, you know, these teams are, you know, their players have taken significant steps, and the skill level that they have, I think, is, you know, amongst the best in the league. So, you know, has these guys gained more experience.

You're going to see it, you know, in both conferences. And we don't expect to have much room to breathe all season long. It's got to stay with it. Sheldon Keefe, the coach of the New Jersey Devils, is with us here an hour two of overdrive. You mentioned you guys played San Jose recently, and Macklin-Sellibrini's been a guy that a lot of people here in Toronto across the hockey world have been talking about. He leads the league in scoring alongside McDavid. What was your assessment

of seeing him up close in his second season? Yeah, we played yeah, we played them twice already and we played them at home as well. So, yeah, see them in those games, obviously seeing them on video lots and prepped for those games. But I will say even last season, like I

was so impressed by this guy. You know, you don't quite know with these young guys coming in. They get a lot of press for their talent and he would get a lot of press well-deserved. for the scoring that he's been doing, but I think he's just got a very complete game. He's hard on the puck. He's big, he's strong, he's good defensively.

He works, he competes. You know, he seems like he's a young guy. It's in the league that seems like playing center is no issue for him, and a lot of times he's got really super talented guys come in, and you're not really sure if they can handle the middle of the rank, but he's an impressive talent for sure. There's lots there, and that Anaheim team seems to have, one or two guys on every line that are making a name for themselves earlier with the skill set.

So lots of talent coming around the league here for sure, and it's good for everybody. Keith, our colleague at TSN, Brucey Boudreau, admitted that even when he was coaching in the league on off nights, he would watch Leaf Games. He loved watching Leaf Games. He was just, I don't know, something about him. He just had to watch the Leafs. What is your kind of thought towards that? Do you pay any attention whatsoever to what's going on?

Yeah, I pay a bit, especially when I'm back. You know, actually, my family still living in Toronto. So, you know, I get back there, get back there quite a bit. In fact, I was there when they played the other night, and I was watching that game. I can't remember the days of the week now, but I remember I was back and, you know, I get back usually once a week or so on our off days. I'm flying back to see the wife and kids and catch a little minor hockey while I'm there. But, yeah, I've been paying attention.

I got so much respect to so much love for the people there. So I keep tabs when I can. Usually if you've got a spare moment, you're kind of checking in on the team that you're playing next. But, you know, I enjoy some good Canadian broadcast when I'm back. And it's interesting to be on the other side of it and just kind of tune it in and taking it in. But not surprisingly, they're off and running here now. And, you know, it's good to see for them. And I hope they do great, except for when they play the dog.

So, Sheldon, how tough is it with a condensed schedule to manage your team as far as, you know, days off, practice time, all of that? I mean, you know, you mentioned you guys have been out west already. Some teams have had an easy schedule. Some teams have really had to, you know, dig in and either head out west or teams that west have come out east. So, you know, how tough is it as far as practice planning and managing, you know, your players in between games? Is it been with the condensed schedule? yeah it's been it's been it's been really tough you know and i think it's going to there's going to be times where it's really really tight and times it's going to loosen a little bit rid of a little at a

time where it's a little bit looser right now for the next little bit granted that you know we're going to play every second day or so but it's not going to be as condensed i mean that road trip we just had out in california there we started in colorado we went across california and played those three teams but those four games were that finished a stretch of eight games and 13 days for our team and, you know, six cities and three different time zones. So, yeah, that's the kind of stuff you're going to have to deal with. And the practices are very minimal. I mean, we're getting any, you know, the last few weeks, we've been anywhere from, you know,

35 to 50 minutes of practice time per week. That's kind of what we're looking at. And that's split over two days, usually, you know, so, you know, today we practice for 20 minutes, you know, because we feel like we're still recovering from that road trip and that 13, yeah, those 13 games, that days, excuse me, and eight games. And the injuries are piling up here. So we're having to be very, very conscious, even though it's early with the workload of the players. Sheldon, keep with us, head coach of the New Jersey Devils.

It is the Hall of Fame weekend, Sheldon, and one of your former players, Joe Thornton, getting inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. You coach them for a couple years. What can you tell us about Jumbo Joe and your time coaching him? Unbelievable passion for the game, unmatched passion for the game, energy. Yeah, the fun that he has around the building, no matter what's happening can be the most stressful situation

or the team could be thriving. His mood didn't change, and I think that rubbed off on the players to be able to kind of let go. And it was a challenging time. It was during the Canadian division, no fans and any of that, any of that kind of stuff. So it was really strange in that sense. But having some of the spirit love of the game like Jumbo was great to be around

and just loved to be on the ice and working. And because of that, he made some real great connections with a lot of the players. And it speaks to his character and to be able to have that level of passion that, you know, at that stage of his career was fun to be a part of it and to watch. He must have got your attention a couple of times where you were so pissed off and you caught him laughing or something. There must have been a couple of times where you're like, I can't believe this guy is laughing like he is right now. There's no bad days. You know, no bad days in the right, you know.

I think even there was times, I think even after that, like when he was flying along the way, you end up playing down in Florida after that. There was times we were playing the Panthers. he would be at our locker room just, you know, hanging out with the guys. He can't allow you. He doesn't care. He would not care. Usually he'd be like, oh, I don't want to see Kiefer.

If he comes in here, he'll lose it. But he would not care. He would not care. He's, he, I've never met someone that's comfortable in who he is in Jumbo. And I guess that just lets everyone else kind of let their guard down. And, yeah, he's fun to be around. I'm sure it'll be a, you know, a fun time for he and his family and everyone that will be there with him. Thank you so much for doing this for us tonight.

We appreciate your time. Have a great weekend. Best of luck the rest of the way. Appreciate it, fellas. Thank you. Thank, Sheldon. Sheldon Keefe, Coach of the Devils. Seasoned gamer or just video game curious, this weekend gaming is the podcast for you.

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