The New Jersey Devils have a lot of talent. Some of it comes from the previous regime but most of it is the result of General Manager Tom Fitzgerald. He has done a great job as the team's GM since being hired. There have been some mistakes but all 32 GM have or will make mistakes from time to time. It's all about how you respond to any mistakes.
Bad injury luck, horrible coaching, and subpar coaching led to a down year in 2023-24. They didn't make the playoffs after having sky-high expectations one year prior.
Fitzgerald responded by having a strong summer. He traded for a goaltender, added some depth on defense, and brought in a new head coach.
Tom Fitzgerald is big for the present and future of the New Jersey Devils
As of right now, Fitzgerald is the fourth most important person in the organization right now. It is on him to take advantage of all the talent that is already accumulated. There are more moves to be made.
This is a GM who has proven to make bold moves. He signed Dougie Hamilton and Ondrej Palat in free agency, he got Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier signed up long-term before they became stars, and he made the huge trade for Timo Meier.
Outstanding draft picks like Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec, and Dawson Mercer have been big as well. More of that is needed in the coming years.
Trading for a goalie, Jacob Markstrom, may prove to be his most important move made in recent months. He has been elite in the past and now the team desperately needs him to regain that form. If he proves to be the guy in the net for a while, the GM will look great.
If the Devils do ever reach their ultimate goal of winning the Stanley Cup with this core, Fitzgerald will have played a big role in it.
It is on him to make the next big move for the organization. Is it another top-six winger? Is it a depth piece? Only time will tell. If they get off to a hot start, he will get a ton of praise. Question marks will arise if they aren't good out of the gate.
When your moves as a GM could make or break a Stanley Cup this season or next, you are naturally going to be high on a list like this.