Tom Fitzgerald’s priority this offseason seems to be to make the Devils a “tougher opponent.” There’s no doubt about it.
He said he talked about it with his team during his final press conference this season.
“I talked to the team and just said, ‘We can’t make up for our mistakes. No team can. We need a base and a foundation and a willingness to play without the puck and an understanding that we’re harder to play against,'” Fitzgerald said two months ago.
On June 4, he repeated it in clearer terms in an interview with The Athletic, explaining: “We are a bit too boring up front.”
MORE: For comprehensive coverage of the Devils, Download our mobile app.
That assessment is understandable. The Devils went 38-39-5 last season – their 10th playoff-less season in 12 years – largely due to their lack of effort on the walls and in puck battles. No statistic can perfectly summarize the determination, but the Devils had the seventh-fewest goals per game (20.33) in the 2023-24 season.
Fitzgerald will almost certainly try to solve this problem via free agency with players like William Carrier, Brenden Dillon and others, but how might his search for sandpaper affect the Devils’ draft philosophy?
Speaking to NJ Advance Media on Tuesday, Devils chief scout Mark Dennehy, who helped put together the scouting list the Devils will use before selecting their 10th player on June 28, said their mindset has not changed from last year.
“I think we’re looking for the same thing, honestly,” Dennehy told NJ Advance Media. “Tommy wants us to recruit the hockey players that we think have the most potential. Part of being a hockey player is being able to play inside. It’s winning tackles on the wall, winning tackles in the corner, winning tackles in front of the net. That’s part of being a hockey player. The same goes for speed, shooting, vision, passing. It encompasses everything.
“There are different ways to be a difficult opponent. That’s part of being a good hockey player.”
Dennehy, to his credit, has found a handful of hidden gems in his department since he took over in 2022. He played a key role in New Jersey signing defensemen Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey with their first two picks in 2022 and Lenni Hameenaho in Round 2 last year. The main reason Dennehy was attracted to these players was their “tough opponent” factor.
“I don’t think toughness is the main thing anymore,” Dennehy said. “I think it’s – and that’s what we like about Lenni – that he can play in the midfield. That’s a skill. What we like about Simon Nemec is his strength with the puck. When he gets over it, he wins puck battles.”
“You need a certain level of ability as a prerequisite, but if you’re small and you’re zipping around and you’re not winning duels or you’re not a difficult opponent, you’re not going to end up being a very good hockey player.”
Many players seem to fit that mold this draft. According to The Athletic’s latest mock draft, the Devils will select Tij Iginla, the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, but others expect them to take Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, a tireless forechecker, or a defenseman like Sam Dickinson, who Dennehy called a “horse.”
Regardless of who – or where – the Devils ultimately choose on draft night, their chief scout is confident in his team’s work so far.
“I’m much more prepared – as prepared as you think you’re going to be when you start,” Dennehy said. “We haven’t changed the process much. I’m just more comfortable with it. My planning is better, my travels are more regular, I have a much better feel for the scouts and what their biases may and may not be. That part is definitely better. We have a really good process, good people, and we’re not going to mess around with that.”
MORE DEVIL:
–“Dirty work”: Curtis Lazar’s journey from goal scorer to combative striker who gives new momentum to his career with the Devils
–Devils legend Patrik Elias talks about his rejection of the Hall of Fame (“It would be wonderful”), his fights with Lou and his current role
–Devils hire Sheldon Keefe as new head coach
Thank you for relying on our journalism. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Ryan Novozinsky can be reached at [email protected]You can follow him on Twitter @ryannovo62.
