The 2023-24 season was full of expectation for the New Jersey Devils. Coming off a 47-point standings improvement and its first playoff round win in over a decade, many tagged the Devils as a potential Stanley Cup favorite. But the wheels came off the wagon quickly and the Devils never recovered from a slow, injury-filled start. On March 4, head coach Lindy Ruff was relieved of his duties and replaced by assistant coach Travis Green. Sometimes that tactic works in the NHL, but not this season as the Devils failed to reach the playoffs. This morning, the Ottawa Senators announced Green accepted the position of their new head coach. Now, it’s up to general manager Tom Fitzgerald to post a job for a new head coach for the New Jersey Devils. I have some recommendations.
Before we dig in, I feel the need to break down these recommendations into three categories: The Retread Route, The Internal Hire, and The Fresh Face.
Category #1: The Retread Route
Embed from Getty ImagesThe first category is retread coaches. Retread coaches are former head coaches who are perpetually the next head coach of NHL teams with a coaching vacancy. You’ve got Gerard Gallant (last seen coaching the New York Rangers), Craig Berube (last seen coaching the St. Louis Blues), and Bruce Boudreau (last seen coaching the Vancouver Canucks) waiting by their respective telephones. These coaches have taken their teams deep into the playoffs and in some cases – like Berube’s in 2019 – lead their team to Stanley Cup glory. I must think that Fitzgerald would take these names into consideration. But like any head coach that is a retread, their voices get lost the further along they coach. Perhaps a fresher voice is needed to be the next head coach of the New Jersey Devils.
Caveat: Immediate Deal Breakers
Embed from Getty ImagesI feel as if I should add a caveat: I would have added Joel Quenneville and Mike Babcock to the retread route list. Considering that the Devils are in the New York Metro media market, the bloodbath surrounding the hiring – or at least considerations for hiring – either coach would be substantial or borderline epic. Remember the scandal surrounding the 2010 Chicago Blackhawks with Quenneville? And the controversy surrounding Babcock and the Columbus Blue Jackets last season over photos on his player’s cell phones? Those events would be held over their heads all day by a ruthless New York Metro media. I have nothing against these men, but I’m leaving their names out of recommendations for New Jersey Devils head coach solely because of the media firestorm.
Category #2: The Internal Hire
Embed from Getty ImagesThe second category for the next head coach of the New Jersey Devils would be an internal hire. Enter Kevin Dineen. For the last three seasons, Dineen has been head coach of the Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. In each of those seasons, the Comets have had a winning season, although they did not make the Calder Cup Playoffs this season. Dineen is a one-time NHL head coach, leading the Florida Panthers to the Southeast Division title in 2012. You could argue that Dineen’s name would be in the retread category because of his status a one-time NHL head coach. Consider this, though: he has had a hand in the development of players who have been on the New Jersey roster, such as Alexander Holtz, Nico Daws, Simon Nemec, and Akira Schmid. Promoting Dineen makes a lot of sense.
Category #3: The Fresh Face
Embed from Getty ImagesThe third category for the New Jersey Devils for their next head coach is hiring a new face outside of the organization. The first name that comes to mind is University of Denver head coach David Carle. In six seasons, Carle has a coaching record of 148-62-16. He has guided the Pioneers to three Frozen Fours, winning the national championship in 2022 and 2024. He also coached the U.S. National Team to gold at the World Junior Championships in January. One player on the U.S. National Team roster is prospect Seamus Casey, who could join next season’s roster. Carle is young enough (he is 34) to keep the ear of a young Devils squad.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe second name that comes to mind is Todd Nelson (pictured on the left). Nelson is currently the head coach of the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate. Nelson has had success at the minor league level. He guided Grand Rapids to the Calder Cup in 2017 and Hershey to the same championship last season. Nelson has also served as an assistant in Edmonton and Dallas and served as interim head coach of the Oilers in 2014-2015. Whether or not either will have success in the NHL is anyone’s guess. However, both coaches have a track record of winning and are under-the-radar names to keep an eye out for head coach consideration.
Regardless of who is the next head coach of the New Jersey Devils, Tom Fitzgerald will have a big decision to make on who will guide this team next season.
