Fitzgerald Fired: Devils Seek New GM

0:00It's April 6th. Welcome in. This is NHL News today, where your team meets AI. I'm Cory with the story. Tom Fitzgerald just got fired as the general manager of the New Jersey Devils on Monday. He'd been with the team since July 24th, 2015, starting as assistant GM, then stepping up to interim in January 2020 and landing the full gig later that year. He even took on president of hockey operations in January 2024. After his watch as full-time GM, the Devils posted a 218 wins, 204 losses, and 39 overtime losses record. They smashed franchise marks with 52 wins and 112 points in the 2022-2023 season, turning heads, league-wide. Fans and ownership feel distinct though, especially after back-to-back early playoff exits to Carolina and missing the dance altogether last year. Peter owns up to not delivering, sharing the frustration and calling this a make-or-break off-season for chasing that Stanley Cup.

1:02This past summer, Fitzgerald swung big by trading for goalie Jacob Markstrom from Calgary and bringing in Sheldon Keefe as coach. They bounced back to Snack 3rd in the Metro Division, but got bounced again in five gains by the Hurricanes in Round 1. Now at 40 wins, 34 losses, and 3 overtime losses, their 7th in the division, seven points out of the second wildcard spot, behind Ottawa. Fitzgerald came from the penguin setup before joining Jersey, and both sides say it's time for fresh direction with a solid core in place. The Devils aim to reload and get back to contending, keeping that hidden gem vibe alive in the garden state.