• Associated Press

Oct 10, 2024, 11:09 PM ET

NEWARK, N.J. —

The Devils won both season-opening games in Prague against the Sabres, outscoring Buffalo 7-2 last weekend in the NHL Global Series.

“I like to believe that I’m focused and content enough with where I’m at that I’m not too concerned about anything else outside of the task of competing against one of the league’s top teams,” Keefe said.

Keefe was fired by Toronto on May 9 and then hired by New Jersey a few weeks later.

The Maple Leafs were one of the NHL’s best regular-season teams during Keefe’s five seasons as coach, going 212-97. But they only managed to advance past the opening round of the playoffs once, in 2023. And they went 16-21 in the playoffs overall under him.

Toronto was his first coaching job in the NHL after he replaced Mike Babcock in 2019. Before taking over the Maple Leafs, Keefe coached Toronto’s AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, for five seasons.