Now that Albie O’Connell has officially been promoted from associate coach to head coach at Boston University, there is an open assistant position on the Terriers' staff. Having spoken with many around the college game over the course of the past few days, look for O’Connell to pursue longtime friend and Northeastern University associate head...
Now that Albie O’Connell has officially been promoted from associate coach to head coach at Boston University, there is an open assistant position on the Terriers' staff.
Having spoken with many around the college game over the course of the past few days, look for O’Connell to pursue longtime friend and Northeastern University associate head coach Jerry Keefe.
Keefe, 42, has been on Jim Madigan’s staff at Northeastern since the 2011-12 season. Prior, he was an assistant at ECAC school Brown for two seasons. He has head coaching experience at Division III program Westfield State.
The Billerica, Mass., native played college hockey at Providence from 1996-2000 before embarking on a four-year minor pro career.
Keefe has played a large role in the resurrection of the Northeastern program. He’s a tireless recruiter who leaves no stones unturned. Perhaps more importantly, he’s a very good game manager and has been given a large chunk of the responsibility of running the bench for the Huskies.
According to numerous sources, Northeastern will likely have to give Keefe a raise and name him the ‘head coach-in-waiting’ or give him some assurance of a succession plan. Keefe was targeted by Merrimack for their open head coaching position earlier this off-season and was offered the head coaching job of the USHL’s Omaha Lancers last summer.
The potential of Keefe coming over to the BU staff was broached last summer before Len Quesnelle was eventually hired to replace Scott Young, who left to take a job in the Pittsburgh Penguins front office.
