Devils’ GM Made All the Right Moves, Now It’s Up to Keefe & the Players

Entering the offseason, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald knew changes were coming and that he and his team had a lot of work to do.

The 2023-24 season did not go as planned. The Devils missed the postseason, finishing seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 38-39-5.

Changes were not just coming to the roster, either. The organization needed to decide on its head coach, and on May 23, Fitzgerald officially announced the hiring of former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe.

Related: How Sheldon Keefe’s Family Impacted His Decision to Join the Devils

"Sheldon jumped to the top of my list when he became available, and I was thrilled when he agreed to be a part of what we are building here," Fitzgerald said in the press release . "He is an excellent communicator, believes in collaboration, and will take what he has learned previously to make this team a Stanley Cup contender."

Less than a month later, the Devils acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames in exchange for defenseman Kevin Bahl and a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. It marked the completion of New Jersey's tandem with Jake Allen working alongside Markstrom.

Fitzgerald then shifted his attention to his blue line and forward group.

Once free agency opened on July 1, New Jersey signed Brett Pesce , Brenden Dillon, Stefan Noesen , Mike Hardman, Colton White, and Tomas Tatar. The club also acquired defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic via a trade with the Montreal Canadiens and forward Paul Cotter from the Vegas Golden Knights.

Additionally, the club officially parted ways with Cal Foote, Alexander Holtz, Kaapo Kahkonen, John Marino , Michael McLeod, Tomas Nosek, Akira Schmid , and Brendan Smith.

"We had a punch list that we wanted to go through at the end of the year. I was adamant on what kind of changes I wanted to make, and I believe we did that," Fitzgerald said in a press conference on July 3. "A new coach, goaltending, depth D, harder D, revamping the defense, looking for the bottom-six to look different from vanilla. We checked those boxes for sure and added depth."

On paper, the Devils have a well-balanced roster with a good mix of youthful skill and reliable, experienced veterans.

There could be the argument that the Devils did not sign a top-six forward like Jonathan Marchessault. Still, New Jersey has enough complementary forwards to play on the top two lines along with Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes, and Timo Meier.

"The last thing I was worried about was the offense on this team," Fitzgerald said. "It was everything else that we needed to build up, and we've done that."

New Jersey's general manager is correct. Last season proved it did not matter that the Devils could score four goals if they gave up five or six.

Pesce, 29, and Dillon, 33, are the perfect complements for Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, as their combined 1,519 games of experience will round out the Devils' blue line.

"The offseason was very successful," Tatar said during his media availability. "When I look at (the team) on paper, it looks very scary. ...I think we became a stronger team."

With sky-high expectations, once again, it is now up to Keefe and his players to meet those expectations and return to the postseason.

"My focus is on establishing a process that we'll adhere to on a daily basis and seek a sustained high performance that will lead us to have opportunities to compete for the Stanley Cup," Keefe said during his introductory media availability.

Fitzgerald has provided Keefe with a balanced roster of players. Once training camp begins, public attention will shift to the head coach and his ability to push the right buttons and find the right combinations to produce the best on-ice product.

There is a quote in sports, "You won't win until you learn how to lose."

It is no secret that the Devils players who remain from last season are disappointed and highly motivated to prove themselves when training camp opens.

Fitzgerald has provided his coaching staff with the right pieces. Soon, it will be time for Keefe and the players to embrace the pressure to prove they can be a playoff team and put themselves in a position to compete for the Stanley Cup in the spring.

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