Frustration is beginning to boil over among New Jersey Devils fans, and a recent loss only added fuel to the fire. After falling 2-1 to the Vancouver Canucks, the Devils once again found themselves facing season-dooming chatter.
The defeat also came amid lingering disappointment surrounding Quinn Hughes, a superstar defenseman many Devils fans hoped would eventually land in New Jersey. The Devils were linked to Hughes almost immediately once speculation surfaced that the Vancouver Canucks captain might be on the move.
While Hughes is no longer in Vancouver, he also isn’t wearing a Devils sweater. Instead, the Minnesota Wild struck a blockbuster deal, sending Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Zeev Buium, and a 2026 first-round pick to the Canucks. It was a massive return, one New Jersey realistically could not match, particularly given Vancouver’s desire for a proven center.
Even if Hughes eventually wants to play in New Jersey, he remains under contract through the 2026-27 season, giving Minnesota potentially two playoff runs with an elite defenseman.
That reality has left Devils fans questioning whether the front office missed an opportunity, and whether general manager Tom Fitzgerald should face consequences. However, according to recent reports, those concerns aren’t shared internally.
“General manager Tom Fitzgerald has the “full support” of Devils owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer and his job is not in jeopardy, a team source told NJ Advance Media Monday.” the report by Ryan Novozinsky of NJ Advance Media offers reassurance that, for now, Fitzgerald’s position is secure.
It was NHL insider Elliotte Friedman who first scrapped the notion of any changes at the team's top brass during his recent appearance on Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts podcast.
“First thing I'd like to say that some people are wondering if Fitzgerald was in trouble, I don't believe that right now,” said Friedman on the podcast. “God only know what will happen in the future. But if you're saying that New Jersey Devils are on the cusp of a GM change, No…I don't believe he's in any trouble now. I just, I don't believe that's the case at all.”
Still, criticism persists, as Fitzgerald assembled the current roster, and several past decisions now limit flexibility due to no-move and no-trade clauses.
Draft-day choices loom especially large, as Minnesota’s package included Rossi and Buium, players once available when New Jersey made different selections. Without Hughes, the Devils are left patching holes, reflected in a rough stretch all while Jack Hughes recovers from injury.
Depth pieces bring energy, but goals have been scarce. While Fitzgerald isn’t on the hot seat yet, but it wouldn't be a ruled out possibility, if the team ultimately struggles to produce results.
