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Devils GM Speaks: Hughes’, Hamilton, Markstrom (Regret?) & Job Security
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- Devils GM Speaks: Hughes’, Hamilton, Markstrom (Regret?) & Job Security
New Jersey Devils general manager, Tom Fitzgerald, addressed the media this morning for the first time since September 2025.
New Jersey Hockey Now sat across the table from the Devils GM, alongside several other media members.
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Right away, the Devils GM took the onus for what's been nothing short of a failed 2025-26 season so far.
"This is on me. Where we are at right now is on me. I'm one to take accountability on myself," Fitzgerald said to open the meeting.
Let's jump right into the meat and potatoes.
Quinn Hughes
Quinn Hughes was a hot topic after Fitzgerald failed to reel him in to New Jersey. The Devils GM denied the notion that he was unable to clear the necessary cap space to bring the eldest Hughes brother to the Devils. He declined to comment on specifics of a potential deal that didn't happen.
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Thus, Quinn is a member of the Minnesota Wild .
Yet, reports revealed names involved in the deal, other reports revealed how the Devils tried to clear cap space, and ultimately, the locker room suffered.
Asked if he felt the Quinn rumors created a divide in the Devils' locker room, and he admitted it could get in the way of the human side of the business, referencing some ex-players turned media who were in attendance at the meeting.
"It's a good question because it's real. Let's face it, like for us who played, [Ken Danyko] is one of the luckiest people, because he played in one organization and has never been traded. [ Bryce Salvador ] has been moved. I've been moved, and it's uncomfortable, you know?
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"Especially with social media now. There are no secrets; there's no hiding. There's speculation on this player or that player. It's a different world. There's a human element to this, too. So, I would have to say, of course, it affected people. Does my phone ring? 'Oh, it's Tom Fitzgerald,' you know? And you live on pins and needles a little bit. That's, I think, natural and human, but that's the life of sports. Change is inevitable."
Dougie Hamilton
As you well know, Dougie Hamilton has been the centerfold of some off-ice drama amid trade speculation.
He was a healthy scratch last weekend against the Winnipeg Jets , and returned to the lineup on Monday against the Minnesota Wild, one game later.
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Fitzgerald explained that scratching Hamilton and putting him back in the lineup was a joint decision with Keefe.
Asked about his relationship with Hamilton since his agent, J.P. Barry , went public with criticism:
"Dougie and I have been in constant communication about where we're at when we're fully healthy," Fitzgerald said. "I give Dougie a lot of credit. He was a healthy scratch the other night for no other reason than his current play. And he played really well. He came back strong. And you talk about the character, the person. He sat, and Sheldon told him, 'You have to be ready.' And he was."
Fitzgerald denied the notion that Hamilton's scratch two games ago was for trade-related reasons.
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"This was just a personnel decision, performance-based," Fitzgerald said. "His agent and I have been in constant communication. So there are no secrets; there's nothing lost in translation. I just want to make sure everybody's hearing the same message."
Fitzgerald's Job Security
Certainly, plenty of you have made your voices heard, or at least made your thumbs read with your "Fire Fitz" tweets.
Recently, there have been reports that suggest Fitzgerald's job is safe.
Asked about how often he speaks with ownership and if he's worried about his job security at this point, the Devils GM explained he doesn't think about that kind of thing.
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"I don't worry about that," Fitzgerald started. "Life's too short to worry about things like that. Listen, sitting in this position is a privilege, and I've never taken that for granted. I'm constantly in communication with ownership, my CEO, Tad Brown, and Bob Myers. We're all in this together, and we're all trying to find solutions. We're all pulling the same way. So, I'm in constant communication with David Blitzer."
Fitzgerald then responded to why it should be him who steers the ship in finding the solution to winning in New Jersey.
"It's a great question. And a question I know many people probably want to know," Fitzgerald said. "I'm very confident in where I've taken this team and how we built through the core and added the pieces that we wanted to add to become a contender every year. The passion I have for New Jersey, the Devils, ownership, and, more importantly, the fans. I love this. I love New Jersey. It's been my home for the past 10 or 11 years. I do think I can be the one to help move this organization forward. And the goal has never changed; it's to be a Stanley Cup champion. And that's not going to change, and I believe I can do that."
On why you, the fans, should trust him, Fitzgerald explained, "It takes two to tango in trying to find the right deals to help add to this team is important. There are no excuses," Fitzgerald said. "But every team feels they can make the playoffs, and every team wants to see where they're going, where they're at. Where do they where do they go? Do they continue to rise, or do they fall before they want to make personnel decisions and sell off? So I'm trying to be patient there. Meanwhile, when you watch how we played the other night, you say, 'Okay, that's the way we should look, and this is how we should play consistently.' I believe in this group. I believe in this group, and for the fans, I know how passionate they are, and I know how desperate they are for a champion, and I am trying to continue to do what I was set out to do, and that's to build a contender."
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Keefe's Job Security
The Devils have employed Sheldon Keefe as their head coach for the last year and a half. Heading into Wednesday night's tilt against the Seattle Kraken , Keefe's overall record is 65-54-9 in 128 games. He brought the Devils back to the playoffs and was a first-round exit in five games against the Carolina Hurricanes , similarly to his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs .
Despite making the playoffs last season, and although things started well in 2025-26, Keefe hasn't exactly inspired confidence with New Jersey's recent play.
Asked about his job security, Fitzgerald explained Keefe is safe.
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"We are in lockstep," Fitzgerald said.
So, it doesn't sound like the head coach is going anywhere. How about the rest of the staff? Fitzgerald explained they're all remaining as well.
Asked if Fitzgerald is underwhelmed by the job the coaching staff has done, and the Devils GM put the onus on "all of us," including the players.
"It's on all of us. It's not just on the players' play, the coaches' strategy, and how they handle it," said Fitzgerald. "It's on everybody. But the message is, "The expectations and the standards haven't changed."
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"With Sheldon, we had a ton of injuries. But his attitude has always been next man up. You know, it's how the group plays. It's not how an individual plays. We played some good games without Jack Hughes . We won four out of six at one point. However, it's the entire group and the pack mentality. We know what winning hockey looks like. We just have to consistently do it. And that's been the message from me to Sheldon and his assistant coaches. It's just not good enough. It has to get better."
Team Play Without Jack Hughes
Another season, another Jack Hughes injury, which derailed the Devils entirely. We've been here before.
"You can't replace Jack," Fitzgerald said.
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Asked about how he can better prepare for another potential devastating injury, Fitzgerald explained that's on the players.
"Well, I think it's playing differently," Fitzgerald explained. "It's playing above pucks, clearing out in front of our net. Be okay with winning 2-1, lower-scoring games, because maybe I'm not going to have the pop in production to do, but you can still win games by playing the proper way. So I think a lot of that comes into play."
The Core
The reason we ask questions about the core is that when Jack goes down, so does the team's production. Asked Fitzgerald if he feels a shake-up of the core is necessary, perhaps by way of moving a core piece out to bring one in. The Devils GM explained he believes in what he's built.
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"I believe in this group," Fitzgerald said. "I do think there's something there, and I'd like them to figure it out too, because when they're at their best, we all like what we see."
Buyer, Seller, Playoffs?
The Devils are just five points out of the second Wild Card spot with about three months of hockey left to play. Asked Fitzgerald if playoffs are still the goal for this season, and he responded passionately.
"Oh, fuck yeah," Fitzgerald said. "I don't even look at standings, but I know that we're one streak away from being where we were at during the start of the season, where we really liked what we had and thought we were a good team."
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Fitzgerald emphasized, with the Olympics coming up and another roster freeze, he feels as though there are two trade deadlines. We know Fitzgerald is still working the phones, and he said he is full-go on being a buyer by the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, perhaps before.
Trade Clauses
On the trade clauses, of which the Devils are tied with the most in the NHL, Fitzgerald admitted it's something the team is dealing with.
"I think it's part of doing business when you're selling your franchise and the upside of New Jersey. It's part of the decision-making on both sides. When you do give it, you're getting it from somewhere else, like a little less money or a lower cap hit. It's real, and we're not the only team dealing with it, but I'm dealing with it."
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Jacob Markstrom Regret?
On Jacob Markstrom , who has been awful for the Devils this year, Fitzgerald was asked if he felt he rushed into the two-year extension that hasn't even kicked in yet.
He explained the contract was discussed for a while with Markstrom and his agent, and pointed to his playoff performance as a key factor.
"I don't think I rushed into it. It was something I've talked about with him and his agent since the day I traded for him. When I traded for him, the goal was to extend him, and that's that never changed. When you go back and look at Mark, he'd be the first to tell you about his ups and downs this year, but when you go back and evaluate him at that point, you look at his playoffs and how well he played in the Carolina series, and felt he gives us a chance to win every game … And I just felt working with Jake Allen , the tandem they had, gave us the best opportunity to win hockey games."
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