Yesterday, the New Jersey Devils announced that general manager (GM) Tom Fitzgerald would be departing the organization after more than six years of being in the position. At today’s morning skate, many of the Devils’ core players spoke on the news in addition to head coach Sheldon Keefe.
Related: Devils’ Offensive Surge a Silver Lining Amidst Rocky Season
Star Players & Keefe React to the News
By all accounts, Fitzgerald has treated everyone around him with the utmost respect and compassion. That has been evident in the number of players who have been willing to stick around long-term in recent seasons.
“I’ve been very thankful for all the years Fitzy’s been treating me well and had a trust in me to be one of those [leaders],” said forward Jesper Bratt. “Unfortunately, I obviously feel disappointed in myself and what the whole team feels like, because most of the time when this happens, it’s because the team doesn’t really perform the way that the GM has built up a plan, and sometimes that unfortunately falls to them. Obviously, we feel very responsible for that.”
There’s no question that Jack Hughes has been the engine that drives the bus for the Devils. Since Feb. 28, his 34 points leads the entire National Hockey League.
“At the end of the day, a lot of it — most of it — comes down to the players, right? We’re the ones going on the ice,” said Jack. “We’re the ones that can change the outcome of a hockey game (…) I’ve got a lot of love for Tommy Fitz. So sad to see him go. I wish we could have done better for him.”
If Jack is the engine that drives the bus, Keefe is the bus driver. The head coach took share of the blame: “It’s not a good feeling to get that call from Fitzy, first of all. And not a better feeling today, frankly. I think everybody here, from coaches to players bear responsibility (…) For myself, specifically, fundamentally, I believe a coach’s job is to deliver on the vision of the (GM) and on the people that put you in a position by showing belief in you. We’ve fallen short of that, and I take responsibility for that.”
When a general manager is fired, there instantly becomes a lot of uncertainty within the organization. There’s no guarantee that the new GM would want to retain a head coach or other facets of the organization and roster.
Keefe later confirmed that uncertainty when he mentioned that he’s going to be part of an evaluation to determine his future with the team. “Obviously, they’ve got some decisions to make on who the new general manager [is] and what the leadership of the team looks like, and I’ll be a part of that discussion and evaluation,” said Keefe. “Unfortunately, it’s not an unfamiliar position in terms of something similar [I dealt with] in the offseason in Toronto…the focus 1775594964 has been really just building our team and building our game.”
It’s worth noting that since Feb. 28, the Devils’ 3.78 goals per 60 minutes is the second-best mark in the league, trailing only the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even with Brett Pesce out for most of it, the Devils are 12-5-1 in that span. (via Natural Stat Trick)
Timo Meier signed the largest contract Fitzgerald has ever given to a forward — an eight-year, $70.4 million contract extension in late June of 2023. “He gave me the chance to come here, traded for me, and signed long-term,” said Meier. “It’s disappointing seeing this…it’s obviously on us as players.”
Jack’s brother Luke Hughes was the most recent (and final) big-ticket extension from Fitzgerald in New Jersey; his seven-year, $63 million extension matched the largest average annual value (AAV) of any contract Fitzgerald has ever issued.
“Fitzy put us all together, and more importantly, he’s a really great person, and he treated me and my brother and the players in the locker room with a lot of respect,” said Luke. “It sucks. It’s a tough day for everyone. You know it’s part of the business [but] just sucks.”
Fitzy welcomed me to Jersey and always treated me and my family with kindness. He’s also hugely responsible for raising the standards to where years like this in New Jersey end up leading to these types of changes. Wish him the best wherever his hockey journey leads him. https://t.co/NxBcpUVigl
— Bill Spaulding (@BillSpaulding) April 6, 2026
Fitzgerald has been part of the organization during captain Nico Hischier’s entire tenure. “[I’m] very thankful for Fitzy, what he’s done for me and my career and my development,” said Hischier. “I was 18 years old, he was the assistant GM here already and with Ray [Shero] back in the fays. It’s always a bit disappointing. You feel like part of it, too. You understand the business here, and we’re the guys around the ice and he trusted us. We weren’t performing the way we should have.”
With that all being said, a GM firing is not out of the ordinary for a team that has underachieved as much as the Devils have in recent seasons. Assuming they miss the playoffs this season, that’ll be 14 seasons with just one single playoff series victory.
That’s clearly not good enough, which managing partner David Blitzer reiterated in the team’s press release yesterday: “As we prepare to move forward, it is important I acknowledge our fans. I recognize we have not delivered in the way you expect and deserve and I understand and share in your frustration. This is a critical offseason for our franchise, and we will explore all avenues that best position the Devils to compete for a Stanley Cup once again.”
With just five games to go, focus will soon quickly shift towards the offseason and the Devils’ future plans. It should be very interesting to see what transpires.
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