Devils could trade first-round pick, add impact player, GM says

The New Jersey Devils could trade their first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, general manager Tom Fitzgerald said.

New Jersey (27-46-9) finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division this season, 37 points behind the Washington Capitals for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. Looking to take a step toward becoming a playoff team, trading the draft pick could allow the Devils to acquire an established player to complement a core of young forwards, Fitzgerald said.
"I said this two drafts ago (2020), when we had the three first-round picks, I'm open to whatever can help our team improve," Fitzgerald said Thursday. "If that is using a pick like that, wherever it may be, to help bring in a player that we know, and feel, will help impact the results that we are looking for, absolutely."
The 2022 NHL Draft Lottery will take place May 10 (6:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, SN NOW, TVA Sports). The Devils have the fifth-best odds (8.5 percent) for the first Lottery Draw.
"That's my job is to improve our hockey club through all the assets that we have," Fitzgerald said.
Goalie is another position likely to be impacted, Fitzgerald said.
Mackenzie Blackwood was 9-10-4 with a 3.39 goals-against average and .892 save percentage in 25 games (24 starts) this season. Jonathan Bernier was 4-4-1 with a 3.06 GAA and .902 save percentage in 10 games (eight starts), last playing Dec. 3 before missing the rest of the season with a hip injury.
"I've never hid from it, I've never dodged any bullets on where we need to improve," Fitzgerald said. "I'm still on that path. Both these goalies know where I stand. Competition will be part of that department going forward, whether Jonathan Bernier is 100 percent come that time. I'm not sure that's going to be real."
New Jersey used a team-record seven goalies this season.
"There will be competition in goal," Fitzgerald said. "I owe that, not only to the players and coaching staff, our fanbase, our ownership, everybody who's invested in our team. … We need another NHL goalie to challenge and be able to play lots of games for us. I don't know who that is."
Lindy Ruff is expected to remain coach after assistants Alain Nasreddine and Mark Recchi were fired on Wednesday. Ruff is 46-76-16 in two seasons with New Jersey.
"There are areas that have to grow and develop. That's something that Lindy and I had a very frank conversation about," Fitzgerald said. "Supporting him at this moment is something I believe is important because of the snapshot of all the positives I've seen from our players, how they respond to him. It's something I can't ignore."
Forward Jesper Bratt provided some of those positives, leading the Devils with an NHL career-high 73 points (26 goals, 47 assists) in 76 games. His previous high was 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) in 74 games as a rookie in 2017-18.
Bratt, who signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract with the Devils on Jan. 10, 2021, could become a restricted free agent. Fitzgerald said signing the 23-year-old to a contract is a priority.
"Jesper Bratt is a big part of our future," Fitzgerald said. "We want Jesper Bratt here long-term. That's my job is to work out a deal with his agent at some point. Offer sheets, I can't control that. He has arbitration rights. We know that. So again, the goal is to get Jesper Bratt under contract and be part of the puzzle that we're building here.
"Realistically, prices are also part of the puzzle. That's where we have to figure out where we're at with him. But absolutely, we need Jesper Bratt in our lineup. We know what kind of player he is. He makes us better."
Nico Hischier, 23, was second on the Devils with 60 points (21 goals, 39 assists) in 70 games; Jack Hughes, 20, was third with 56 (26 goals, 30 assists) in 49 games. Fitzgerald said the forwards' development has impressed, but thinks New Jersey has "a lot of the same up front."
The Devils would like to surround the young talent with a heavier lineup, one that could consistently reach the playoffs and compete once there.
"No more excuses, 'Oh, we're the youngest team in the League,'" Fitzgerald said. "Guys know how to play. Guys know what the standards are and the expectations of what we're trying to build here and the culture we want to build. We all have to be pulling the same way.
"You may not like certain things, but you have to be good teammates. You have to challenge each other. We need to take that step."