New Jersey confirmed on Tuesday that Sheldon Keefe will return as head coach after General Manager Sunny Mehta completed his promised organizational review. Keefe finished a second season behind the bench, a campaign that fell short of the playoffs following the departure of longtime GM Tom Fitzgerald. The decision ends a brief coaching uncertainty.

The Devils missed the postseason despite a respectable record, losing in the first round to Carolina last year while star winger Jack Hughes recovered from shoulder surgery. Mehta kept Keefe despite the early exit, signaling confidence in his system. Meanwhile, goaltending coach Dave Rogalski was dismissed and assistant Sergei Brylin reassigned within the club.

In addition to the coaching shuffle, Mehta overhauled the front office, opting not to renew contracts of executives Chuck Fletcher and Dan MacKinnon. He also brought in Braden Birch as an assistant, a colleague from Florida who helped secure back‑to‑back Stanley Cups. Birch’s arrival adds championship pedigree to a roster hoping to rebound.

Retaining Keefe while reshaping staff suggests New Jersey is betting on continuity and fresh ideas rather than a wholesale reset. With Hughes slated to return to full health, the Devils aim to translate a stable coaching core into a playoff push. The moves set the stage for a decisive second half of the season.