It’s been a week to forget for the New Jersey Devils. With the Stanley Cup Playoffs race heating up, the Devils succumbed to their second successive loss as they went down fighting against the Senators 3-2 yesterday. Despite going neck-and-neck in the first period, the Devils lost steam in the second period, giving away three goals, which spelled the end. In the aftermath, head coach Sheldon Keefe made a shocking comment that raised the eyebrows of several fans on social media.

To break it down, after the match, Devils defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic stated that the team needs to have a playoff mindset and perform better in crunch situations, something he clearly believed the team was lacking. However, in an unexpected twist, Keefe countered Kovacevic’s words by laying the blame squarely on him instead of the entire team.

As reported by Trey Matthews of Pucks and Pitchforks on X, Sheldon Keefe ended his presser with a scathing indictment of his player. “Kovacevic just needs to play better. That would help…” Quite the definitive mic drop to close out a press conference, leaving the reporters stunned.

Kovacevic had joined the Devils just ahead of the start of this season and has regularly featured for the team. Additionally, he also signed a five-year contract extension with the Devils recently. With Dougie Hamilton‘s injury, Kovacevic was thrust into a top-four role. He’s recorded 1 goal and 16 assists this season, while his plus-minus rating of +12 puts him in the lead amongst the entire team. It may be his first season on the team, but expectations are high with the playoffs on the line.

Though Sheldon Keefe’s words may sound harsh, it may end up being exactly the kind of wake-up call the team needs to lock in for the remainder of the season. At the same time, though, it came as a surprise to the fans that their head coach called out Kovacevic separately following their loss.

Fans are angered as Sheldon Keefe blames Kovacevic for the Devils’ loss

As the situation got heated after Keefe’s comments, a section of fans questioned the Devils’ mindset, just like Kovacevic. Moreover, some even suggested the team should do the talking on the ice instead of blaming individuals for poor performances. A fan wrote, “Perhaps the fundamental playoff mindset is knowing when to talk — and when to let your game do the talking. Until then, no amount of motivational speeches will skate the puck into the net.” With the fan not being happy with the head coach, he had a valuable suggestion for Keefe to follow in the upcoming games.

Furthermore, another fan was far from pleased with Sheldon Keefe’s comments and felt that the team was in a meltdown. “We are fast approaching dumpster fire status,” the fan said, as these instances of infighting could preclude a bigger crisis. After all, it’s important for a team to present a united front, but when dirty laundry is being aired in public? Not the most promising sign.

Meanwhile, the Devils haven’t been the only team this season to have a behind-the-scenes meltdown in their team. The New York Rangers have found themselves in a similar situation. Naturally, comparisons were made with their divisional rivals. “Damn I thought the Rangers locker room was bad sheeeeesh.” While the Devils look determined to one-up the Blushirts in the drama department, they need to get their act together at this crucial juncture lest the Rangers leapfrog them in the standings.

On the other hand, some fans brutally slammed Sheldon Keefe for criticizing Kovacevic when the entire team had not played to their potential. An angry fan wrote, “That’s a dog s**t thing for a coach to say to media in public like that.” Indeed, it isn’t often that a coach singles out a player publicly in front of the media, and this will only make matters worse for the team.

Lastly, one X user also questioned the strategies and tactics of the Devils’ head coach. With nothing working for them right now, the fan revealed, “No doubt in my mind Keefe is one of the worst coaches in the league.”

With the loss against the Senators, the Devils are placed in the third spot in the Metropolitan Division. Their ordinals still look good, but further losses will only complicate matters. They will next face the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and would look to avoid a hat trick of losses, with Sheldon Keefe hoping that his words will have the intended effect.