The Devils underwent a lot of changes in the off-season. That included bringing in Keefe as the new head coach. New Jersey also added forwards Paul Cotter and Tomas Tatar, defensemen Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon and Johnathan Kovacevic and goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
“We had boxes to check in the summer. We did that,” Fitzgerald said. “We really like our D. We feel we addressed the goaltending to give ourselves a chance to be in games every day. We knew we could score. That was never a concern. More depth. More physicality. We did that.
“The ebbs and flows of a season and the ebbs and flows of production from certain players, it comes and goes. We’d like to see more of it coming to take some pressure off some other guys. We’re just a one-day-at-a-time team. That’s it. We don’t get too far ahead of ourselves. Let’s get better today at practice, then we’ll get on a flight to St. Louis, who’s playing well. That’s it. Just one day at a time.”
2. Culture Starts at the Top
Fitzgerald has spoken often in the past about building a winning culture for the Devils organization. And he’s noted in detail of what that culture looks like. He’s starting to see that develop with the Devils now, and it all starts at the top.
“You talk about players and teams maturing, I think it starts with your head coach,” Fitzgerald said. “What his expectations are, what his standards are, how aligned he is with me. I don’t have to worry about that side of the business because that’s getting taken care of. How we practice, the details, the meetings, the systems that we’re playing, the demand of the standards. Anything less is unacceptable.”
Keefe’s been so affective as coach, that Fitzgerald doesn’t have to worry about that faction of the game.
“I let him coach. It’s a lot less stress for me,” he joked. “I’m probably deep down a coach in a manager’s office. But it’s been nice. We believe in the same things. It’s nice to see it carried out. Practice is so important to get better and improve. Practice is hard and it should be, so games come a little bit easier by the way we practice. It’s paying forward.”
3. Defense First
Fitzgerald always knew his team could score. What he wanted was to see better results on the other side of the puck. And he likes what he’s seen so far.
“I love where we’re at. The way we’re playing without the puck,” he said. “Defending first. Limiting teams, especially coming through the neutral zone. In the past it felt like we were Swiss cheese. Allowing teams to come through and gaining entry. Now we’re very demanding of playing the right way in the neutral zone. Forechecking harder. We’re not one-and-done as we used to be, and we still have that quick attack mentality. It’s been good.”
4. Contract Talks
The Devils have a few contract situations upcoming this summer. That includes two men on the blue line in Luke Hughes and Kovacevic. Fitzgerald said he will start conversations with their agents after the holidays.
“The whole ‘you have to get guy’s (contract) done by a certain time,’ I don’t look at it that way,” he said. “I don’t look at it as if a person’s contract is up at the end of the year, can they perform with the pressures of no talks.
“With Luke, I plan on talking to his agent once the holidays come and go to see where they’re at. I don’t want to distract Luke at all because of the way he’s been playing. I really like the way he’s been playing away from the puck and defending. You know he can contribute offensively and transitionally with his legs or tape-to-tape pass up the ice. We’ve talked in the past. He was hurt. We wanted to get him going. He’s going now. I’m sure after the new year we’ll touch base.”
5. Odds and Ends
On sending blueliner Simon Nemec to Utica of the American Hockey League: “A young player like that, if he’s not playing, he’s not sitting. We have the luxury to send him down. He doesn’t need waivers. … His attitude has been great. He’s working hard. We’re really happy about that. When we do have injuries, it’s going to be next man up. Him or someone else. It’s who’s playing well down there that can help us.”
On Markstrom’s season: “I think if you ask Jacob he’d tell you he could be better. Everybody could be better, that’s for sure. But he gives us a chance every single night to win a hockey game. That’s all you can ask for in a goaltender.”
On Cotter’s goal drought: “He still plays to his identity. … We talked when we went out to Western Canada, my message to him was ‘don’t forget who you are as a player.’ Everything else is gravy.”
On Jack Hughes’ expanded role: “It’s part of growth, it’s part of his maturity. All the great players in the league play in all situations. Jack has a coach that’s growing that part of his game.”
On Four Nations: “Just humbled and honored to be a part of that. I’m looking forward to meeting these players that I don’t know. I know some of them. But getting to know them as players and getting to watch them closely, the details and preparation that they put into their game.”
