TORONTO -- Sheldon Keefe coached 172 regular-season games at Scotiabank Arena when he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2019-24. So to say his trip to the arena on Thursday was familiar, right down to the traffic, is fair.

Like the rest of us, New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe is actively trying to achieve a healthy work-life balance. In addition to the title of head coach of an NHL team, he is a husband to his wife, Jackie, and father to two sons, Wyatt and Landon.

Editor’s note: This interview was originally published on Dec. 10. On Thursday, Sheldon Keefe will coach in Toronto for the first time since joining the New Jersey Devils. NEWARK, N.J. — The slogan that lines the dressing room wall of Sheldon Keefe’s New Jersey Devils team reads: Compete. Commit. Connect.

Keefe was coaching an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena for the first time since being fired by the Maple Leafs on May 9. Having been hired by the Devils 14 days later, he’d faced his former team twice this season, both at Prudential Center.

The New Jersey Devils lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs last night, and head coach Sheldon Keefe was cracking jokes following his team's loss. The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off an exciting comeback on Thursday night,

The Toronto Maple Leafs wasted no time honoring their former head coach Sheldon Keefe as they hosted the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. During the first TV timeout, a video tribute played on the Scotiabank Arena jumbotron, celebrating Keefe’s nine seasons with the organization and thanking him for his contributions.

TORONTO (AP) — William Nylander scored his second goal of the game at 1:10 of overtime to give the Toronto Maple Leafs a 4-3 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. Devils coach Sheldon Keefe was back at Scotiabank Arena as a visitor for the first time since being fired by the Maple Leafs in the spring.

Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe opened up about his return to Toronto for the first time since being fired by the Maple Leafs.

Sheldon Keefe wryly noted he’ll never be completely severed from his previous life in Toronto as long as he must battle traffic to reach Scotiabank Arena. But Thursday night will be akin to the final cutting of the cord for the coach,

The first victory for Sheldon Keefe against the Maple Leafs is going to have to wait for at least another season. When William Nylander scored in overtime on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena, giving Toronto a 4-3 win,

Sheldon Keefe had not been to Scotiabank Arena since he was dismissed as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Greeted to a large media contingent, he was all smiles, even noting the fresh coat of red paint in the visiting locker room area. "They painted the walls red for me," he joked.

The Toronto Maple Leafs honored former head coach Sheldon Keefe during their game against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.