The silly season is upon us, with the NHL Draft and Free Agency happening within days of each. The New Jersey Devils made an early splash with the acquisition of Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. Devils President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has not finished upgrading his team.
NHL Rumors: Will the New Jersey Devils Extend Jacob Markstrom and What is Next?
Since taking over as general manager and now as President Tom Fitzgerald has always looked to improve his team. Whether it was adding to an area of strength or improving an area of weakness, Fitzgerald is always searching for players and ways to improve the Devils to put them in contention to be a playoff team. But more importantly a consistent playoff team.
After the trade for Jacob Markstrom, Fitzgerald joined TSN Radio in Toronto to discuss the acquisition of Markstrom, but more importantly what he would like to improve on his hockey club.
Frankie Corrado: “Tom now you’ve got your goaltenders in place and obviously that’s a big part of what your team needed, how far away are the New Jersey Devils as far as building the team that they see ideal or complete going into next season?”
Tom Fitzgerald: “Well, I think we’re a couple of positions short. I also like to think that, the season we just had, injury-prone. Some guys having down years. Some guys haing really good years. Our goal is to compete for the Stanley Cup and get in the playoffs, and I’ve got a motivated group, so that’s for sure. As you guys know, I’ve got a new coach with a motivated group. But I’d say I’m a good couple of positions away. Feeling really comfortable that we can compete in the Metro and then see where it goes from there.”
The big thing for Fitzgerald is that he does not want to take away from what the New Jersey Devils do well. They are a quick, fast, attacking team. And was asked with the NHL being a copycat league did he see how the two teams in the Stanley Cup Final were built or does he build his team based on his own analysis?
NHL Rumors: The New Jersey Devils Have Plenty of Needs This Off-season
Fitzgerald: “I think sometimes it looks like a copycat League. Within a day, you have to know who you are and what your strengths are. And we know what our strengths are and I don’t want to take away from that. We’re good off the rush team. You know, we’re a quick transition quick attack. So we need a defenseman that can move the puck. We need forwards who can who can get pucks to the net, not just dump and chase. There is time and place for that when you got to dump it in puck management, right?
But I think knowing who you are, and not deviating from your skill and what you do well is important. What I like to build around that absolutely, you know, get a little heavier you know, get a little edgier. A little more violence would be great. To check, check off a couple of boxes, but at the end of the day, I don’t want to get away from what we do really well. I don’t forget two years ago, we had 112 points with a very good team, quick transition team. We should be able to get back to that. But defending net front defending lines is extremely important. It’s an area where we have to get better.”
The New Jersey Devils defense needs an upgrade and as it has been reported they will go after guys like Brett Pesce, Sean Walker, Nikita Zadorov, Chris Tanev, among others.
But expect Tom Fitzgerald to busy at the NHL Draft and once free agency begins.
