The New Jersey Devils and Tom Fitzgerald have parted ways. After a disappointing season that will ultimately see the Devils fall short of making the playoffs, changes are going to be made. The expectation was that they were going to take another step, and they failed to do so.
Following the firing of the general manager, the leadership group amongst the players is taking a lot of the blame. On Tuesday morning, Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, and Luke Hughes all spoke on the matter.
"It’s always a bit disappointing,” Captain Nico Hischier said. “You feel part of it. You understand the business. We’re the guys on the ice. He trusted us. We weren’t performing the way we should have."
Nico Hischier is always ready to be held accountable. He knows that from an offensive perspective, the Devils haven’t been at their best this season. The core of this team needs to be better than “solid” in terms of goal scoring and making plays.
Whether it’s the system of the players all having off-years at the same time, it needs to be addressed with the next general manager. The talent is available to score a ton of goals and win more than they lose, but they let one injury derail the entire season.
“[Fitzgerald] built the team,” said Jack Hughes. “He’s done a pretty good job of that over the years. Most of it comes down to the players. We’re the ones competing every night. We’re the ones that can change the outcome of a game. It’s just frustrating because I’m a big part of this team.”
Jack Hughes knows how important he is to the team. It isn’t a lack of humbleness to understand your role on a team if you’re a superstar. Hughes is a superstar. When he’s healthy, he’s a top 10 NHL forward.
The problem for Hughes is health. He must find a way to play a full season with no serious injuries, and the team will be right back where they are again next year. Fitzgerald probably still has his job if Jack doesn’t cut his finger while out to dinner.
If Hughes stays healthy, the next GM and coach will get a second contract, his core teammates will all be rich, and the future of the organization will be bright. Others must also step up to the plate, especially those with lucrative contracts.
“He traded for me and signed long term,” Meier said. “It’s disappointing seeing this. He believed in me. We didn’t get the results that we wanted to be in this position to have this happen. It’s obviously on us players, and we want to be professional and handle this the right way.”
So far, Timo Meier hasn’t been able to replicate what made him a top power forward at the time of the trade. There’s no denying that he is still a productive winger who plays a high-effort game, but the goal scoring doesn’t match his cap hit. He knows it, he acknowledges it, and he must be better for the next GM.
This is an enticing job for any candidate looking to be a GM in the National Hockey League. There is a lot of talent, and the players have been open about their overall shortcomings that led to there being a change at the top.
"When this happens, it is because the team doesn’t perform the way the GM built up the plan,” said Jesper Bratt. “Sometimes, that unfortunately falls on them. We feel very responsible for that."
This is still a team that has 40 wins and counting. They are not going to the playoffs, but there can’t be too much of an overreaction either. The new GM must understand that this will be a motivated group after everything they’ve been through. Some smart tweaks to the roster should get them right back in contention.