Sansided
Eyes On Isles
Home/NY Islanders News

New York Islanders: Sheldon Keefe Isn’t A Target

By Matt O'Leary
NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 09: Lou Lamoriello addresses the fans during the former New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur jersey retirement ceremony before the game between the New Jersey Devils and the Edmonton Oilers on 9, 2016 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 09: Lou Lamoriello addresses the fans during the former New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur jersey retirement ceremony before the game between the New Jersey Devils and the Edmonton Oilers on 9, 2016 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Apparently, Sheldon Keefe isn’t on Lou Lamoriello’s mind when it comes to head coaches for the New York Islanders. He hasn’t been contacted.

It’s draft week, which means the New York Islanders are set to have the busiest week of the 2018 year. Something Lou Lamoriello must do is find a coach before the 2018 NHL Draft on Friday.

It’s obvious, having the draft as the deadline for the decision seems like the appropriate timetable. Well, one potential coaching option was taken off the pondering list. Sheldon Keefe has not been contacted for an NHL position.

Keefe is fresh off coaching the Toronto Marlies to the Calder Cup Championship. Keefe has been a very successful coach at the AHL and OHL level. The past three years he’s been behind the bench for Toronto. Over those three years, his team has made the playoffs each time and he’s never had a win percentage lower than .586.

Before that, he was coaching in the OHL with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He was just as successful in the OHL. Keefe had a .809 win percentage in his final year in the league coaching at age 34-years-old.

The connection to Lou Lamoriello was an obvious one, Lou was just in Toronto this past year obviously poaching talent from the team you were just with is a common occurrence when leadership changes.

According to his General Manager, Kyle Dubas, Sheldon Keefe hasn’t been contacted for an NHL position. No other team needs a head coach so he was essentially saying “Lou hasn’t asked to speak to Sheldon yet.”

If Keefe isn’t the answer, maybe Barry Trotz is still on the table. It seems like a potential long shot but if Washington hasn’t spoken to him about an extension yet perhaps Lou can persuade him to come with some of Mr. Malkin’s millions of dollars.

Next: Islanders fans finally got the hero they deserve

Again, this week is going to be a hectic one. It’s too quiet in Isles land right now, I don’t like it. Join me in refreshing twitter all day until there’s a coaching hire, Tavares extension or trade.

facebooktwitterreddit