- Devils hire Ted Donato and AJ MacLean as assistant coaches to complete Sheldon Keefe’s staff
- Ex-Panthers goalie guru Leo Luongo takes over goaltending development under Martin Brodeur
- Read below for the full breakdown of New Jersey’s new bench and Donato’s Harvard exit
Sheldon Keefe’s bench in New Jersey is finally full.
The Devils hired Ted Donato and AJ MacLean as assistant coaches on Wednesday, added Dan Stewart as goaltending coach, and named Leo Luongo director of goaltending, the team announced. That rounds out Keefe’s staff heading into the season.
Here is the post from the team:
Donato is the headliner. He spent 22 years running the bench at Harvard and leaves as the winningest coach in program history with 334 wins.
He knows the school as well as anyone. Donato captained the Crimson to a national title in 1989 and played 13 NHL seasons after Boston drafted him in 1987. His son, Ryan Donato, is still in the league.
MacLean brings a long history with Keefe. The two won a Calder Cup together with the AHL’s Marlies in 2018 and go all the way back to their junior days with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds.
The goaltending side got a full makeover. Luongo spent the last decade with Florida and picked up two Stanley Cup rings during the Panthers’ back-to-back runs in 2024 and 2025. He reports to executive vice president Martin Brodeur.
Stewart takes the NHL goalies after six seasons in the St. Louis system, where he worked with Joel Hofer and Charlie Lindgren.
New Jersey brought Keefe back this spring after another year out of the playoffs. Now he has the crew to go with him.
