In January of 2020, Tom Fitzgerald became the interim general manager (GM) of the New Jersey Devils after Ray Shero was fired from the position. Roughly eight months later, Devils’ owners, Josh Harris and David Blitzer, announced that Fitzgerald was named Executive Vice President/General Manager. Since that time, the team underwent a massive roster renovation and slowly but surely gained success over the years.
Fitzgerald has been around the NHL since 1988 when he made his debut with the New York Islanders. After a 19-year career and 1,097 games played, he made his way into the business side of the sport. He joined the Pittsburgh Penguins as the Director of Player Development. In 2009, he was promoted to assistant GM in Pittsburgh. Finally, he joined the Devils in 2014 as an assistant GM before being named to his current role.
Through his tenure with the team, Fitzgerald saw five different head coaches, two first-overall draft picks, and the emergence of a new brand of hockey in New Jersey. Today, fans are more than pleased with the signings, trades, and draft selections that Fitzgerald and his team created. However, looking back at his moves, trades have been his bread and butter in building the roster. So, in chronological order, what are the best trades that he made for the Devils?
Nolan Foote and 1st-Round Draft Pick
Fitzgerald’s second trade as GM was one that fans needed to wait for a successful return. The Devils sent forward Blake Coleman to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Nolan Foote and a 2020 first-round draft pick that ended up being defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin. At the time, Coleman was a fan favorite in New Jersey for his resilient play style and peculiar recovery drink, pickle juice. However, his value was at an all-time high and the Devils were not close to competing. Therefore, he finished out his contract in Tampa Bay and went on to win two Stanley Cups.
The trade was a smart move that become a key piece to a bigger trade by Fitzgerald in the future. Furthermore, Foote played in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Utica Comets and had his best season yet. He recorded 20 goals and 17 assists for 37 points in 55 games played. He also played in six games for the Devils and scored one goal. Foote is 22 years old and has a big body that could find a home in the Devils’ bottom six. His shot is extremely impressive and has been scouted with much praise, “He’s powerful on the puck and when he asserts himself he’s an unstoppable bull on the wall or in a straight line to the net.” With 14 free agents, there could be depth position spots on the Devils’ roster that are primed for Foote.
Mukhamadullin was a risky and off-the-board selection in the 2020 Draft. However, the Devils had three total selections in the first round, so some risk was acceptable. The 21-year-old who is 6-foot-4 only recently made his way to North America to play hockey. His only games within the Devils organization were three AHL playoff games with the Comets in the 2020-21 season. His career in the organization ended as he was a piece of a massive trade that sent him to the San Jose Barracuda.
Jonas Siegenthaler
Shutdown defender — that is how you describe Jonas Siegenthaler. Fitzgerald was able to take advantage of the Washington Capitals’ cap constraints and acquired Siegenthaler for a 2021 third-round pick that became forward Ryder Korczak. Despite little offensive output, Siegenthaler is a top-four defenseman, consistent penalty killer, and overall amazing defensive defenseman. The best part about the trade was the small return that the Devils had to give up for the Swiss defender. Plus, he shows off his offensive skill from time to time.
The cherry on top of the trade and acquisition of Siegenthaler was the contract that he agreed to in the 2022 offseason. He signed a five-year, $17 million contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $3.4 million. Siegenthaler himself knows that he could have waited a bit longer for a higher number. “I probably could have waited and signed by the end of the year. But it was an easy decision. I saw the deal in front of me and it was a pretty easy process.”
Furthermore, he openly admits that he wanted to remain a Devil and be a part of something special, “I wanted something long-term. Especially here, I love it here and I think, in that time span, we want to be something big. I want to be a part of that. It was an easy decision to sign a long-term deal here.” (from ‘Devils’ Jonas Siegenthaler admits he took pay cut this offseason, wants to win ‘something big’ in N.J.’ NJ.com, 9/23/22) His defensive ability will be a valuable asset for the next five years in New Jersey.
Vitek Vanecek and 2nd-Round Draft Pick
Since the 2018-19 season, the Devils have had a tough time finding a consistent and reliable goaltending tandem. Names such as Louis Domingue, Aaron Dell, Jon Gillies, and Andrew Hammond still send a chill down Devils fans’ spines. Poor goaltending was holding back the team and was proven when Fitzgerald found a goaltender who remained consistent for the Devils. In the 2022 offseason, the Devils acquired Vitek Vanecek and a 2022 second-round pick from the Capitals for 2022 second- and third-round picks. The Capitals then used those picks to draft forward Alexander Suzdalev and defenseman Ryan Chesley.
The Capitals traded Vanecek’s rights as he was a pending restricted free agent (RFA). Fitzgerald was able to lock him up for three years at $3.4 million AAV. The Czech goalie thrived in his first season in New Jersey and played 52 games and won 33 of them. He was exactly what the team was missing in the net and helped secure a third-place finish in the league for New Jersey. However, Vanecek’s playoff performance is cause for concern. He massively underperformed and looked overwhelmed throughout the games he played. However, he will most likely get another chance in the playoffs and look to improve his performance.
Related: Devils’ Goaltending Still a Major Question for Next Season
The second asset that the Devils acquired in the trade was a 2022 second-round pick that became defenseman Seamus Casey. The 19-year-old defenseman finished his first season with Michigan of the NCAA. He was impressive and boasted a stat line of 37 games played, eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points. Furthermore, Casey is pumped to be a Devil. “I love the Devils, I’m so honored to be here, I have a ton of family in New Jersey so they’re all pumped up there, they’re huge Devils fans and so am I. So this is the best day of my life.”
With defensive prospects Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, Casey is often overlooked. However, Devils fans should be excited to watch him play because of his incredible stick-handling and confidence with the puck.
John Marino
Johnny Hockey. After watching Marino score against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Devils fans dubbed the nickname for defenseman John Marino. Fitzgerald acquired Marino from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Ty Smith and a 2023 third-round draft pick. At the time of the trade, there was a mixed reaction. Marino’s numbers did not stand out and Devils fans were hesitant to move on from Smith, who was a highly regarded prospect since the Devils drafted him 17th overall in 2018. As time would tell, Marino’s calm presence in the defensive zone made him a quick fan favorite. The Penguins made the move to make space for veteran defenseman, Jeff Petry. Furthermore, Marino came with term at a reasonable cap hit. He is signed through the 2026-27 season at $4.4 million AAV.
On the other end of the trade, Smith is a 23-year-old defenseman who spent most of the season in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. There, he scored seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points in 39 games. He did have a brief stint with the big club and played nine games and scored a total of four points with one goal and three assists. Furthermore, Smith has one year left on his contract and will have a lot to prove during next season. The Penguins still retain the third-round pick in the upcoming draft that they received from the trade.
The Timo Meier Trade
Fitzgerald’s biggest splash, by far, came from acquiring Timo Meier from the San Jose Sharks. For many Devils fans, the build-up to “Timo Time,” started when NHL insider Kevin Weekes tweeted about a potential trade happening between the Devils and Sharks. Meier to the Devils was a constant rumor for around two years because of the Swiss connection with captain Nico Hischier, the hole that Meier filled on the roster, and the Sharks knowing they could not sign him long-term.
The full trade consisted of 13 assets. The Devils acquired Meier, Scott Harrington, Zacharie Emond, Santeri Hatakka, Timur Ibragimov, and a 2024 fifth-round pick. The Sharks got in return, Andreas Johnsson, Fabian Zetterlund, Nikita Okhotiuk, and Shakir Mukhamadullin, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 seventh-round pick. The deal was massive and took several hours to accomplish. For the Devils, it was a home run getting the deal done without including players such as Alexander Holtz, Dawson Mercer, Simon Nemec, and Casey Seamus. The return made sense for the Sharks and the asset that was hardest for the Devils to part ways with was Zetterlund. Mukhamadullin and Okhotiuk could not be utilized in New Jersey because of the deep defensive core that is already there. Johnsson is set to become a free agent after next season and there was no space for him in New Jersey.
Meier brought an aggressive and physical presence to the team that fans loved. He was able to get under the skin of Rangers players and contribute in the playoffs on and off the scoresheet. Now, Fitzgerald mentioned this week that he will begin contract extension talks with Meier and his agent.
“We would love nothing better than to tie him up long term, that’s our goal. That’s what Claude and I will go through.” Hopefully “Timo Time,” is here to stay in New Jersey.
Along with numerous impressive trades, Fitzgerald also made signings and draft selections that have helped shaped the Devils’ roster. Now, Devils fans and the entire league are expecting the team to be competitive for the next several years. Only time will tell if Fitzgerald’s roster revamp will be enough to bring the Stanley Cup back to New Jersey.