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Devils’ Sheldon Keefe Questions NHL’s Instigator Enforcement: ‘That’s Happening a Lot Around the League’

After the Devils lost Timo Meier for 17 minutes against St. Louis, head coach Sheldon Keefe offered his thoughts on the ’instigator’ penalty.

By Daniel Amoia · Sportsnaut

Published: Friday, 6 November 2026 at 9:11 PM

Key Things to Know

Devils coach Sheldon Keefe questioned how NHL officials enforce the instigator rule when altercations follow heavy hits.
Timo Meier was assessed 17 penalty minutes for defending captain Nico Hischier against the Blues' Jake Neighbours.
The New Jersey Devils defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-4 in overtime on Thursday night.

The Story in 60 Seconds

New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe questioned the NHL's enforcement of the instigator rule following his team's 5-4 overtime victory against the St. Louis Blues. Keefe spoke out after forward Timo Meier received 17 minutes in penalties, including an instigator penalty and misconduct, for defending captain Nico Hischier after a hit by Jake Neighbours.

Keefe argued that players delivering hits are often the ones expecting an altercation, dropping their gloves, and throwing the first punch, yet opponents still get tagged as instigators. While acknowledging the difficulty officials face in eliminating forced fights, Keefe noted this misidentification is happening frequently across the league.

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