About this episode

Zach Berman discusses significant changes to the New Jersey Devils' coaching staff and the newly released game schedule.

Zach Berman opened the episode by breaking down significant changes to the New Jersey Devils’ coaching and development staff. Key hires include Leo Luongo as director of goaltending, Dan Stewart as goaltending coach, and the additions of Ted Donato and AJ McLean as assistant coaches. Luongo, brother of NHL legend Roberto Luongo, will oversee all goalie development, and his background with Florida’s “goalie excellence department” could signal a positive shift. Stewart was recruited from the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL), reflecting the Devils’ recurring strategy of targeting St. Louis Blues affiliates for goaltending staff. Coaching Context The coaching additions represent a shift towards fresh faces with varied backgrounds—Donato brings over two decades of college coaching at Harvard, while McLean previously worked under Sheldon Keefe with the Toronto Marlies. Zach Berman notes that while none of the new assistants have substantial NHL head coaching experience, he welcomes the injection of new perspectives rather than the league’s tendency to recycle coaches. Notably, Donato’s collegiate success and NHL playing experience generate intrigue as to how his acumen will translate to…

People in this episode

Host: Zach Berman

Topics covered

• New Jersey Devils
• coaching staff changes
• NHL
• hockey
• game schedule
• goaltending

Keywords

• New Jersey Devils
• coaching changes
• Leo Luongo
• Dan Stewart
• Ted Donato
• NHL schedule
• goaltending

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Springfield Thunderbirds, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Marlies

Places: New Jersey, New York, Carolina, Florida

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