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Ex-Devils GM Loses Out on Anticipated Role in Shocking Twist
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- Ex-Devils GM Loses Out on Anticipated Role in Shocking Twist
Ex- New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald will not land the anticipated role as GM of the Nashville Predators .
The Predators' prolonged hunt for new hockey leadership took a decisive turn with the expected arrival of Chris MacFarland from the Colorado Avalanche in a shocking departure.
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Elliotte Friedman reported on Tuesday that sources indicated the team is closing in on hiring the 56-year-old executive for the role of President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, a move that effectively closes the door on other prominent candidates.
It's been anticipated that Fitzgerald had emerged as one of the frontrunners for the position.
After fired him in favor of Sunny Mehta , Fitzgerald—a onetime Predators captain—looked like a natural fit to succeed soon ex-GM Barry Trotz.
However, MacFarland's sudden availability changed everything
MacFarland's Avalanche just bowed out of the semi-final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights .
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He helped construct Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup winner and managed stars such as Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar , bringing proven success at the highest level.
The Predators clearly view the move as a significant upgrade over Trotz and a better choice to the ex-Devils GM, offering him an elevated position with greater autonomy than his current Avalanche setup as GM under Colorado President Joe Sakic.
With MacFarland poised to take the top job, Fitzgerald's path to the role has evaporated and a role for him moving forward is unclear.
In a statement following MacFarland's departure from Colorado, Sakic provided the following statement:
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"We would like to thank Chris for all he did for the Avalanche organization. Chris was instrumental in our success over the last decade and a key part of our 2022 Stanley Cup championship. This was an opportunity for him to take on a bigger role with the Predators while being closer to his family. We wish him and his family all the best in Nashville."
"(Avalanche President) Joe Sakic will resume the General Manager duties for the foreseeable future, including through this month's draft and the start of the league year. In Joe's previous stint as GM, he helped build the current roster and led us to the 2022 Stanley Cup. We are confident in Joe's leadership and that we will continue to build upon our recent success as we seek to bring another Cup back to Colorado."
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