Tom Fitzgerald Holds Himself And Everyone Accountable For Poor Season

New Jersey was looking to build momentum, which was a crucial stretch for them, as Full Press Hockey has documented. When things did not turn around, and the same bad habits and inconsistencies in their play continued, Fitzgerald knew something had to be done if the Devils were going to salvage the remaining 21 games and get within striking distance of a playoff spot.

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Regardless of how difficult the decision was, Tom Fitzgerald knew it was the right time.

“At the end of the day, I knew deep down in my heart it was time for change,” he said.

As he stated, it is not Ruff; Fitzgerald owned that the personnel decisions could have been better. Not only that, he noted the players themselves are accountable for what happened on Monday with Lindy Ruff losing his job.

“This is on all of us, Fitzgerald continued. “I just spoke to the team, and a good man lost his job because of an underperforming team. And I like said it starts with me up here. I’m the one creating this team and trying to build this team around the pillars that we have. It’s not good enough.”

We know the personnel changes the Devils made this offseason. They moved on from Damon Severson, Ryan Graves, and Miles Wood. Losing veteran defensemen and getting younger left a gaping hole in the lineup. Something that should have been covered up with a number one goalie. Not getting that goaltender has exposed the team’s youth and put the Devils in this position.

“Could we have done things differently structurally? Absolutely,” Fitzgerald went on to say. “Could I have done things differently personnel-wise? Probably. But at the end of the day, the foundations of playing the right way are important to any team, not just our team. And I felt like we’d gotten away from that.”

The lack of adjustments, inconsistent consistency, and lack of execution by the players are the reasons why the Devils are in this position. While, Ruff may not have had the tools in the toolbox to succeed, there was no reason for this team to play as poorly as did on a nightly basis.

Once the team quit on their coach in the second period of the Los Angeles Kings, you knew a coach was coming. Every coaching change in the NHL has been on the players. New Jersey is no different, but Tom Fitzgerald knows he could have put this team in a better position to succeed.