BOSTON — Northeastern University formally introduced Jim Madigan as Director of Athletics and Recreation, and Jerry Keefe as the 11th Fernie Flaman Head Men’s Hockey Coach at Matthews Arena Thursday.
Madigan, who now leads the school’s athletics program, compiled a record of 174-139-39 record over the past decade as head coach. He led the Huskies to the past three Beanpot titles, appearances in the 2019-21 NCAA tournaments, and two Hockey East championships. During Madigan’s tenure, Keefe was there with him, serving as trusted assistant and confidant.
“It was 10 years ago today that I sat roughly in this same seat with joy and excitement in being given the opportunity to lead our men’s ice hockey program,” Madigan said. “I’m both honored and excited and share that same joy, now, 10 years later to be able to have Jerry Keefe and his family take on the leadership role in our hockey program. That excitement that I shared today comes from 10 years of working very closely with Jerry.”
Keefe, a Billerica, Mass., native, was associate head coach for eight seasons with Madigan at Northeastern with another three years spent as assistant coach. A graduate of Matignon High and a member of that school’s 1993 state championship team, Keefe played junior hockey in the USHL with the Omaha Lancers before spending four years at Providence College, graduating in 2000.
This past season, Keefe was instrumental in Northeastern having the Hockey East’s top power play and third overall in the nation with a 26.9 success rate. In addition to having a major hand in the program’s successes over the past decade, Keefe served as an assistant coach on the 2019 and 2020 U.S. National Junior Teams, helping USA capture a silver medal in 2019.
“Culture is everything,” said Keefe of his close relationship with Madigan. “Bringing in the right student-athletes, the right players — we’ve been really fortunate to get those right types of players here. I think we always shared the same vision, we always honored the same values and had the same goals in mind: We wanted to develop players, we wanted to develop people and make sure to get the right players who wanted to have success here.”
Keefe brings continuity to the position, having grown at Northeastern through his experiences while playing a major role in his team’s tactics and recruiting process. He and Mike McLaughlin will bring in another assistant coach, but for the returning players, there won’t be significant change in the way things are done, and that bodes well for the leadership core and the incoming freshmen who were recruited by the staff.
Additionally, Keefe has shown the ability to get the most out of the Northeastern offenses he’s had a hand in guiding. The successful power play is a strong indicator that he will continue to design effective offensive zone strategies as head coach, while mentoring his assistants to handle the details. The best leaders at any level have the ability to delegate the right tasks to the staff so that the head coach can focus on putting the big-picture pieces in place to win hockey games.
“We’ve won two Hockey East championships, three Beanpots in a row and been to the NCAA tournament three times,” Keefe said. “Now, it’s just about advancing, taking that next step. First time you get there, that’s step one. Then you have to put yourself in the situation where you can win that first game of the tournament and focus on the next one. That’s our goal.”
Keefe took time to touch on the strong core of players returning for the 2021-22 season as well.
“I’m really excited about this group next year. We’ve got tremendous leadership, and you couldn’t ask for a better captain for a first-year head coach in Jordan Harris, and our leadership group. We’re excited, and we’re fully expecting to have a big year.”
Harris (Haverhill, Mass.), along with current teammates Riley Hughes (Westwood, Mass.), Aidan McDonough (Milton, Mass.) and Sam Colangelo (Stoneham, Mass.) were all in attendance at the event. Also there were former Husky stars (and current pros) Adam Gaudette (Braintree, Mass.), Jeremy Davies, Ryan Shea (Milton, Mass.) and Matt Filipe (Lynnfield, Mass.), showing their support for Keefe and Madigan.
“Coach Keefe and Coach Madigan and Coach McLaughlin were great for me my four years here,” said Filipe, a Boston Bruins prospect who just completed his first AHL season with Providence. “I was finally able to win a Beanpot and be in the locker room as a player as opposed to when I was a kid and wanted so bad when they were losing them. It was just great to have so much success here as a player, and I give the staff a lot of credit for that and the environment they created.”
Keefe’s knowledge of the school, the systems, players and recruits mean that he will be free to implement his own coaching style, but that not much is likely to change from what has brought much success since the first Hockey East title in 2016. With the support he and his staff will continue to get from Madigan and the school going forward, watch for Northeastern to continue to be a power in the conference and college hockey in the short term and beyond.
“It was clear to me that when I was in the battle, I was in the foxhole with the right guy,” Madigan said. “Jerry is the right guy.”
