Keefe directs pointed criticism at Kovacevic amidst Devils' struggles
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New Jersey head coach Sheldon Keefe was critical of his team after the Devils fell to the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Saturday, their second loss in a row and eighth in 13 games since the 4 Nations Face-Off break.
Following the game, defenceman Johnathan Kovacevic talked to reporters about how the team can right the ship moving forward.
"We're in a fight, and hopefully that gets us in that 'playoff mentality,'" he said. "We're 10, 11 games out, and [hopefully] we carry that into the playoffs. The results are tough but we're in a fight here and we're not going to back down."
Keefe, who is coaching his first season in New Jersey after five seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, was more direct with his words to reporters after the game.
"Kovacevic just needs to play better, that would help," Keefe said before departing the media session.
Kovacevic had one hit, one blocked shot and took a penalty in 17:41 of action Saturday night. He has one goal and 16 assists for 17 points in 71 games this season.
Keefe led the Maple Leafs to the playoffs in all five seasons he coached the team. Toronto advanced past the opening round in 2023, but did not reach the second round in any other year.
The Devils (37-28-6) finished play on Saturday in firm control of the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, sitting six points ahead of the New York Rangers, who are playing through similar struggles at this time of the year with wins in only three of their last 10 games.
Still, for a team that led the division as recently as Dec. 30, the struggles down the stretch are cause for concern for Keefe. Since beating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Dec. 27, the Devils have just 13 wins in 33 games (13-17-3).
"We weren't hard enough. Puck battles, we had the puck, we just ... [we're] not good enough. Not enough offence to recover from it," Keefe said of his team's struggles in the second period on Saturday.
New Jersey returns to action on Monday with a game against the Vancouver Canucks, a team in the middle of a meltdown of their own in the Western Conference.