NHL’s New Jersey Devils Part Ways With GM / President Tom Fitgerald

Why It Matters

Firing the GM so late in the season signals the Devils’ urgency to reset their roster strategy before the draft, while the move could reshape the NHL’s executive landscape if Fitzgerald joins Nashville.

Key Takeaways

• Devils fire GM Tom Fitzgerald with five games left
• Team sits seven points out of wild‑card, 0.1% playoff chance
• Playoff appearances in 2023 and 2025 under Fitzgerald
• Search begins early to influence draft lottery and combine
• Fitzgerald linked to Nashville Predators GM vacancy

Pulse Analysis

The New Jersey Devils’ decision to part ways with Tom Fitzgerald on Easter Monday underscores a growing pattern in the NHL where general managers are dismissed early in the week to give clubs a head start on off‑season planning. Fitzgerald, a former forward with a 1,097‑game career, took over as interim GM in 2020 and was promoted to full‑time GM two years later. Despite guiding the Devils to two playoff appearances and a franchise‑record 112 points in 2022‑23, the team’s recent slide—sitting seven points shy of a wild‑card berth and holding a mere 0.1 percent playoff probability—proved insufficient for ownership.

The dismissal’s timing gives the Devils a head start before the scouting combine and the 2026 NHL draft. Projected to finish with the 13th‑worst record, the club could rise up to ten spots in the lottery, enhancing its odds of selecting a franchise‑changing player. As a result, ownership will likely target executives with strong scouting acumen and salary‑cap expertise. Internal candidates like Dan MacKinnon and external names are already circulating as possible replacements.

Fitzgerald’s exit also reverberates beyond New Jersey, as his reputation as a player‑turned executive makes him a coveted asset. The Nashville Predators, who are close to naming a new GM after Barry Trotz’s retirement, have been linked to him, highlighting the fluidity of top‑level talent across the league. If Fitzgerald lands in Music City, the Devils will need to accelerate their own search to avoid a prolonged vacancy. This cascade of early‑season GM changes could set a new precedent for how NHL teams manage leadership transitions ahead of critical offseason events.