"The TV broadcast cut to images of former Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe's expression throughout the game. There was good reason for it. Beyond the entertainment value of showing raw emotion in players and coaches, the Devils are learning a painful lesson Maple Leafs fans know very well. Sheldon Keefe's system doesn't hold up very well against tough defensive teams."
"They don't have Martin Brodeur picking up after them. They don't have Scott Stevens terrorizing the neighborhood. This Devils team is about speed, skill, and winning track meets with the best of them. But as the Maple Leafs learned, puck-possession systems tend to sputter against tight-checking teams. Think about that second-round series against the Florida Panthers in 2023. Florida bounced the Leafs in five games in that showdown."
The New Jersey Devils lost 3-0 to the Dallas Stars despite playing well and missing Jack Hughes. The Stars, on back-to-back games, executed a shutout through tight defensive play. TV coverage repeatedly showed Sheldon Keefe's reaction as the game highlighted systemic vulnerabilities. Keefe's puck-possession approach excels with fast, offense-driven rosters but struggles against physical, tight-checking teams. The Devils mirror the Maple Leafs under Keefe in speed and scoring emphasis, lacking the grinding, neutral-zone trapping identity. Past examples include the Florida Panthers eliminating the Leafs in five games and Boston's stifling defense under Jim Montgomery causing offensive dry spells.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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