The New Jersey Devils are coming off a tough season that saw injuries and inconsistencies ruin their campaign. They missed the playoffs and are looking to bounce back in a big way.
Sheldon Keefe was not fired when the Devils overhauled their front office, led by new GM Sunny Mehta. Instead, he was allowed to fill out a new coaching staff in an attempt to get the team on the right path.
Leo Luongo, Ted Donato, AJ MacLean, and Dan Stewart have been named to the coaching/development staff.
Advertisement
Luongo is going to be the man who oversees all goaltending development. He will report directly to Martin Brodeur, who serves as the Vice President of Hockey Operations. Of course, Brodeur is one of the greatest NHL goalies to ever lace up the pads, so good minds are leading the way there.
Dan Stewart has been hired as the goaltending coach, and he will work together with Luongo alongside Utica Comets goalie coach Brian Eklund and goalie scout/development coach Manny Legace.
Drafting and developing goaltenders has been an issue for the Devils since the retirement of Brodeur, who they relied on so much for parts of three decades. Now, they will move their philosophy in a different direction.
AJ MacLean, son of former NHL head coach Paul MacLean, will serve as an assistant coach under Keefe. He is coming off a tenure with the AHL Syracuse team, which serves as the affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Advertisement
MacLean worked with Keefe when they were together on the coaching staff of the Toronto Marlies.
As for Ted Donato, whose son Ryan is a forward for the Chicago Blackhawks, is a Harvard coaching legend. He recently stepped down from the head coaching position there after a remarkable 22 seasons. He was also an NHL player for parts of 13 seasons, including stints with the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers.
Donato was inducted into the Massachusetts Hall of Fame in 2010 for his dedication and strength as a head coach of a prominent NCAA program in the state. Now, he is back in the NHL as a New Jersey Devils assistant coach.
Are these the moves that will be the magic wand that gets the Devils back into Stanley Cup contention? Not on their own, but putting the right people in the right jobs is a great way for players to feel comfortable in their roles.
Image
Visit The Hockey News New Jersey Devils team site to stay up to date on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
Advertisement
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting on the article below on THN.com or by creating your own post in our community forum.
Read the full article here