Mike Sullivan (© John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)Last May, the New Jersey Devils hired Sheldon Keefe to be their head coach. This was after Travis Green served as the Devils' interim head coach following the firing of Lindy Ruff in March of the 2023-24 season.
Overall, Keefe's first season with the Devils went well. He led the Metropolitan Division club to a 42-33-7 record and got them back into the playoffs. However, while things have worked out since bringing in Keefe, the Devils were also interested in another coach before hiring the former Toronto Maple Leafs bench boss.
According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the Devils made a push to hire Mike Sullivan as their head coach last year. However, LeBrun noted that Sullivan was not interested in leaving the Pittsburgh Penguins at the time.
This is certainly an intriguing report, especially when noting that Sullivan has been hired as the New York Rangers' new head coach one year later. Now, Sullivan will not only remain in the Metropolitan Division but also coach the Devils' biggest rival.
While bringing in a top coach like Sullivan last year could have been great for the Devils, they certainly should be happy with Keefe's first season behind the bench. Keefe will now look to help the Devils take another step forward next season from here.
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