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Report: Sheldon Keefe to return as Devils coach

By Thomson Reuters May 19, 2026 | 7:04 PM

ANew Jersey Devils coach Sheldon Keefe will remain behind the bench, according to multiple reports on Tuesday.

The club ​announced that goaltending coach Dave Rogalski ‌was relieved of his duties and they will re-assign assistant coach Sergei Brylin within the organization.

New general manager Sunny Mehta — who was hired on April ‌16 — ​reportedly evaluated the staff ⁠and elected to retain ⁠Keefe, who has two years remaining on his contract.

After serving as bench boss for five seasons in Toronto (2019-24), Keefe was ​named head coach in New Jersey in May 2024 and led the Devils ⁠to the playoffs in ⁠his first season. They lost to ​the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 in an Eastern Conference ​first-round series.

New Jersey finished with the ‌same number of wins (42) in 2025-26, but did not make the playoffs, breaking a streak of six consecutive postseason appearances for ⁠Keefe-led teams.

Keefe is 84-70-10 in two seasons with the Devils and 296-167-50 in seven seasons overall.

Rogalski had ⁠been on ‌the staff since 2020-21. New ⁠Jersey gave up 3.09 goals ​per ‌game in 2025-26, compared to 2.68 ​in 2024-25.

Mehta ⁠served as assistant general manager and head of analytics for the Florida Panthers from 2023-26 and earned a pair of Stanley Cup rings with the club during his tenure.

–Field ​Level Media