How GM Tom Fitzgerald can save the Devils – and his job
It wasn’t too long ago that the New Jersey Devils were being viewed as one of the league’s up-and-coming contenders. Centered around star pivot Jack Hughes, the Devils had turned a corner several years back, with many pundits (yours truly included) penciling them in as favorites to be contenders for the foreseeable future..
A couple of years is an eternity in professional sports, and the Devils have completely faceplanted from where they were just a short while ago. So it begs the question: what exactly has gone wrong in New Jersey?
The low-hanging fruit is health, as Hughes has struggled to stay in the lineup (especially last season ahead of the playoffs) for the Devils. He has missed at least 18 games due to injury in four of the past five seasons. Any team trying to contend without their star forward will be fighting an uphill battle, but the Devils, specifically, aren’t exactly the deepest group down the middle. Having platooned the third-line center role between the likes of Cody Glass and Dawson Mercer, the Devils don’t exactly have the horses to make up for Hughes’ presence in the top six. Captain Nico Hischier is a more than capable No. 2 pivot but, while being a consistent 60-70 point player over his career, he’s better suited on the second trio in matchup situations.
On defense, things have taken somewhat of an unexpected turn. Though not among the basement dwellers by any stretch, the Devils are a below-average team as far as high-danger suppression goes, ranking 19th in the NHL in expected goals against per 60, per moneypuck.com. It wasn’t long ago they were one of the league’s top defensive clubs with a stud top pair of Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton.
Things have been volatile on New Jersey’s back end, as the developments of youngsters Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec hasn’t exactly been linear, while the future of 2021 free-agent signing Hamilton has become a hot topic. Hamilton, 32, was recently a healthy scratch for the Devils (though he has gotten back in the lineup, with his agent publicly coming out and addressing the ultimate need for a new destination. Hamilton carries a $9-million AAV until 2028 and a 10-team no-trade list.
In goal, Jacob Markstrom has been a mess this season, sporting an .879 save percentage. Acquired in the 2024 offseason from the Calgary Flames, Markstrom was thought to be the long sought after remedy for a volatile Devils’ goaltending situation. He was that last season but has struggled mightily to replicate it this campaign.
There are problems up and down the roster for the Devils, which have landed them six points back of the second Wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. Though winners of two straight, they have just four wins in their last 10 contests.
There has been a lot of smoke surrounding the future of GM Tom Fitzgerald, who took over for the late Ray Shero in 2020. Theoretical replacements could come from in-house options like Chuck Fletcher or Martin Brodeur, but I wouldn’t be so quick to make assumptions. Speaking with two sources recently – one within the organization and the other having a close relationship with Fitzgerald – I am told there is no current feeling that the Devils’ GM is in imminent jeopardy of losing his job.
If Fitzgerald’s job isn’t in question (at least for now), there has to be an addressing of the roster at play that clearly isn’t making the cut. The third-line center position has been a problem going back to last season, and it has become even more of a focal point with Hughes unable to stay healthy. With consistent uncertainty surrounding your top pivot’s availability, a third-line center with the capability of moving up the lineup seamlessly is almost paramount.
There are options like veterans Nazem Kadri, Ryan O’Reilly and Brayden Schenn (the last two I believe New Jersey has at least kicked tires on) via trade, but none of the three strikes me as anything more than a short-term band-aid. Centers are at a premium in the NHL, which has led to the somewhat-hefty contracts handed out to the likes of Christian Dvorak and Alex Wennberg in recent weeks.
I would love to list off options for Fitzgerald, but there aren’t many teams lining up to give away middle-six centers in their 20s. He will have to get creative in an effort to rectify this glaring hole.
Defensively, there needs to be a solution with Hamilton and clear-cut steps forward from Hughes and Nemec, Unlike upfront, I believe the Devils have the pieces in house to figure it out on defense, but there has to be a clear direction for the back end and a resolution with the unit’s highest-paid player.
As for in net, Jake Allen is a formidable backup signed for the next half-decade, but unless Markstrom (fresh off of a contract extension) figures it out, Fitzgerald will have to look for outside help. Goaltenders, much like centers, are hard to come by in a 32-team NHL, but this has been an ongoing problem for the Devils for far too long.
Simply put, if Fitzgerald hopes to correct-course on the Hughes-era Devils, landing a solid middle-six center for the foreseeable future is imperative. The Devils are painted into a corner somewhat with their goaltending given their contracts, so they best hope that Markstrom finds a way to turn it around. If neither thing comes to fruition, we may be talking about a missed opportunity for a once promising core of players in New Jersey.
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