The Vegas Golden Knights may have set the stage for teams to introduce some last-minute changes across the NHL. From Bruce Cassidy, Brad Treliving, Patrick Roy, and now Tom Fitzgerald of the New Jersey Devils, the past nine days have been marked with tremendous upheaval.
The Devils must immediately identify Fitzgerald’s successor, who can pick up the team after this nightmare season, and a former Toronto Maple Leafs president could be high on the list of potential candidates.
Brendan Shanahan Could Be the Next New Jersey Devils GM
Appeals to replace Fitzgerald have emanated from the Devils’ fan base, and riding on the wave of unforeseen terminations across the league, the management finally seized the opportunity to part ways with him. The Devils are surely out of the playoffs this season, but the coming summer is especially critical, and to that end, finding a worthy general manager is paramount.
In their quest to find Fitzgerald’s successor, New Jersey may be interested in former Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan.
Expect to hear a lot of Brendan Shanahan to the Devils speculation, in a president role. Because I’m already hearing it from multiple sources and Fitz has been out for like three hours.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 7, 2026
The Maple Leafs did not renew Shanahan’s contract last year, bringing an 11-season partnership to an end. Before Shanahan took charge of the Leafs in 2014, the team had qualified for the playoffs once in the entire decade. The former Leafs president played a critical role in making Toronto competitive again.
From Shanahan’s third year onward in charge of the Maple Leafs front office, the team has consistently made the playoffs, consolidating its position in the Atlantic Division. Surely, Shanahan is in a position to salvage the Devils, as he once did for the Maple Leafs.
All things considered, Fitzgerald’s time at New Jersey was not entirely unsuccessful. The GM made 42 picks, four of which crossed the 100-NHL game threshold.
Here is Fitzgerald’s tenure with #NJDevils including full list of trades, signings and picks:
126 contracts
59 trades
42 picks – 4 of his drafted players have reached 100 NHL games
All the details:https://t.co/PEN45Tu8yh
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) April 7, 2026
The 2022-23 season was particularly eventful under his leadership, when the Devils finished with 112 points, advancing to the second round of the playoffs before falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. In the same season, Jack Hughes ended in the top 10 in Hart Trophy counting.
However, Fitzgerald could not sustain the momentum. After a spectacular 2022-23 season, the team fared horribly the following year, finishing second-to-last in the division with 81 points.
Discontent with Fitzgerald’s roster management and trade decisions has been widespread. The idea is that he could not build on the star-studded core he had inherited. Fitzgerald was the assistant general manager when Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes were drafted, but during his time overseeing the New Jersey front office, the former GM did little to optimize the team’s elite talent.
