Currently sitting at second in the Metropolitan Division and with nine wins so far in the 2024-25 NHL campaign, it appears the offseason moves General Manager Tom Fitzgerald made paid off for the New Jersey Devils. Fitzgerald said after last season that he recognized precisely what the Devils needed for a successful future.
"I know exactly what this team needs,” Fitzgerald said at the time. “I know exactly what these individuals need. I know what they want, and they crave. They’ve been craving.”
And with the flurry of moves made this offseason to positively affect the depth of the team's foundation — how would we rank the top three as the Devils look to captivate their tenth win of the season?
3. Emphasizing Physicality
While size certainly isn't the only metric used to judge a team's toughness, it doesn't hurt. In the offseason, the Devils added size via trades, the draft and in the free agency market.
With Paul Cotter, Stefan Noesen, Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, and Johnathan Kovacevic having a combined 692 hits last season, the expectation was that the Devil's new additions would add toughness to a roster that had been perceived as shaky at best.
Bringing in respected veterans and professionals is exactly how the Devils' raised their bar. Adding guys to the ice who will finish their checks and play like there is no tomorrow is just what they needed to add to their roster.