New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald has agreed to a multi-year contract extension and has been promoted to president of hockey operations, the team announced Tuesday.
“We are excited to have signed Tom to a multi-year extension, and to promote him to President, Hockey Operations,” Devils’ managing partner David Blitzer, said. “Over the years, he has built a young, powerful, and dynamic team that our organization can be proud of. Tom has worked tirelessly on revamping the roster via signings, trades, and draft picks to build an established core with a focus on not only today, but for many years to come. We have considerable talent, both on and off the ice, and I look forward to what the future will bring together.”
Fitzgerald, who has been with the team since 2015, was in his fourth full season as the Devils’ full-time executive vice president and general manager where he’s transitioned a young, raw team into a playoff contender.
His fingerprints are all over their rise, which included the acquisitions of Timo Meier, Erik Haula, Dougie Hamilton, Ondrej Palat, and Tyler Toffoli. He drafted Dawson Mercer and Luke Hughes and secured the long-term rights of superstar forward Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt
In 2022-23, the Devils set a franchise record with 52 wins and 112 points, which included a franchise-record-tying 13-game winning streak from Oct. 25 to Nov. 21, 2022, which was also an NHL best for the 2022-23 season.
The team’s 49-point increase from 2021-22 to 2022-23 marked the league’s lowest to highest point differential (season-to-season) in NHL history since the league established an 82-game schedule in 1995-96. The Devils also won a playoff series for the first time since 2012 after defeating the New York Rangers in seven games.
“This organization has come a long way, and I realize that there is even more work to do as we establish ourselves as consistent contenders and take another big step,” Fitzgerald said. “I’m excited by those challenges and look to bring the Stanley Cup back for the fans of New Jersey.
