BLOG: Fitzgerald Reflects on the 2019-20 Season

Since the Devils season is over, the post-season exit interviews and discussions with players and coaches will start in the coming weeks. Fitzgerald will hold these digitally with those involved.

"That'll be done on our friend here, Zoom," Fitzgerald joked. "Now that the League has officially come to an end for us, we'll start setting up those exit meetings with our coaching staff and then with me individually."

Fitzgerald also reflected on the 2019-20 season overall during the media availability.

"There was so much excitement, you know, last summer and the build up towards the start of the season. October was a disappointment, we got caught behind the 8-ball, we weren't winning any games and that snowballed in the wrong direction. Coach lost his job, General Manager ended up losing his job. We started playing a little better second half, after the All-Star break, but by then it was too late. It was just too late, and it just tells you, many lessons."

When asked about Jack Hughes and his first year in the league, Fitzgerald discussed the adversity he went through and what he expects from the 2019 First Overall Pick in the upcoming off-season.

"You know production probably wasn't where he thought it was, still he just turned 19. But I think the experience that he went through this year is only going to make him a much better hockey player and quicker. He knows he has a big summer ahead of him. He just can't put on 20 pounds, it's a process. So his off-ice conditioning is a big part of will be a big part of his success this upcoming year until he continues to grow into a man. And we have time. And that's the positive, so we got a lot of time, he's got a lot of time, every individual has a lot of time to continue to work on the things that they need to."

The Devils staff and Fitzgerald will stay in contact with their players and provide development plans for all players in the organization.

"We're in uncharted waters here on, how to lay out a plan for our players, how to deliver development plans for all our players in the organization," said Fitzgerald. "Now that the season has been officially canceled we can put that together, individualized plans as well."