The New Jersey Devils probably waited too long, but they made the necessary move on Monday night. Now-former GM Tom Fitzgerald was dismissed. Whether it was amicable or not doesn’t really matter. It was clear during interviews on Tuesday with the team that the Devils brass feels a sense of responsibility for Fitzgerald’s tenure ending prematurely.
Fitzgerald’s hands are all over this roster, spending more than six years as the team’s GM and the past two as President of Hockey Operations. Twenty-five of the players on the roster are currently here because of Tom Fitzgerald. There are only four who remain from the Ray Shero era: Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Arseny Gritsyuk (who was drafted by Shero but signed by Fitzgerald).
One of those players who has seen transition isn’t ready to commit to the next one.
Possibly the biggest decision the next GM must make is how much to pay captain Nico Hischier. He’s part of the team’s one-two punch at center, and he’s largely the one who can stay healthy. The reason for optimism around the Devils is because of the Hughes-Hischier pairing down the middle.
How much is a second-line center worth? Well, Leon Draisaitl shows that the limit does not exist. Hischier is largely expected to get an extension that moves him past eight digits per season. Can the Devils, who are in a cap crunch every year, afford to go past $10 million per season for Hischier?
That’s a question for the offseason. With one season left on his deal, Hischier is eligible to sign a new deal on July 1st. This is also the only time the Devils can sign him to an eight-year deal, as those limits change in September per the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
When he spoke to the media, Hischier had interesting comments about the Fitzgerald era and moving forward. When asked about his contract status, Hischier gave a non-committal answer.
Nico Hischier on if Tom Fitzgerald being out as GM changes anything about his future. He’s eligible to sign extension on July 1. UFA in 2027.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 7, 2026
“I’m focusing on playing hockey here. I still have one more year. So I’m with the Devils right now and then we’ll see what happens.”😬 pic.twitter.com/vjNJjPbDT3
Most are trying to take a “glass half full” approach to this quote, and we understand why. There’s not a ton there to go off of, but the tone is important there. There was a sense of purpose to the words used here. Hischier could have easily said that he loves New Jersey and wants to let the process play out.
He didn’t say that. He said what he said, which was basically that he has one more year left and then we’ll see.
That puts the Devils, and more important, a new front office in a very awkward position. If their captain and one of their key pieces is willing to walk to unrestricted free agency, the Devils might have to trade him before next season. It’s not worthwhile to keep him on the roster just for one run to a Stanley Cup when this core hasn’t come close.
However, that’s a jump. He might just want to make sure ownership doesn’t hire Peter Chiarelli to be GM. Hischier has the right to wait until leadership is in place before committing to his team. Still, the quote is not what Devils fans wanted to hear after Fitzgerald’s firing.