New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald will have plenty of decisions to make over the next few months.
He has seven pending unrestricted free agents now that Tomas Tatar signed a two-year deal overseas in Switzerland and three restricted free agents, including Luke Hughes and Cody Glass.
His roster has glaring holes that revealed themselves throughout the second half of the 2024-25 season, which must be addressed if the Devils want to transition from a playoff team to a Stanley Cup-contending team.
Following the club's first-round elimination at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, the most glaring concern entering the offseason is New Jersey's lack of depth scoring, especially in the bottom six. However, a larger issue must be addressed before training camp opens in September.
Due to a shoulder injury, star forward Jack Hughes' season ended in early March, and it was not the first injury he has dealt with. Per Fox Sports, the 24-year-old's injury list includes the following:
2/7/23: Upper Body
11/3/23: Shoulder
1/5/24: Upper Body
4/9/24: Upper body
3/2/25: Shoulder
Fitzgerald needs to bring in a top-six winger with size to play alongside Hughes, who is listed as 5-foot-11, 175 pounds on the team's website.
There are two ways to acquire a player: via free agency or a trade. The top free-agent wingers who are set to be available include Nikolaj Ehlers, Brock Boeser, and Mitch Marner. With the players available and the specific needs the Devils require, it is unlikely that free agency will be a path that leads to Fitzgerald acquiring what he needs. Realistically, a trade will be needed to finally get Hughes the winger his front office has been searching for.
To acquire a top winger, the Devils will need to give something up, and there are a few names Fitzgerald can float around. Dawson Mercer's versatility and durability would draw interest, and Simon Nemec's playoff performance undoubtedly increased his value after a tough start to the season. Of course, there are other avenues New Jersey's front office could take as well.
As an example, on paper, a player like Dallas Stars left wing Mason Marchment checks off a lot of boxes. Listed as 6-foot-5, 212 pounds, he has the size and played a top-six role with the Stars. The 29-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026 and currently carries a cap hit of $4,500,000.
He plays with that edge and sandpaper that many teams desire and is known for going into the dirty areas of the ice and being heavy on the forecheck, which would benefit Hughes and Jesper Bratt. He has scored 22 goals in his last two seasons and finished the 2024-25 campaign with 47 points in 62 games.
The Ontario native has 59 games of valuable playoff experience and the drive to win, having fallen short with the Stars.
Even if it is not Marchment, but a player with his general makeup, a trade seems like the more likely path for Fitzgerald and his front office to solve the one problem that has been proven challenging over the past few seasons.
Hughes' continued shoulder injuries have led to public concern, although Fitzgerald "like(s) to think Jack's shoulder injuries are behind him now."
"You know, Jack knows the work that's ahead of him this summer and where he needs to go, from a strength-wise and a body makeup," Fitzgerald said. "And it's not just snapping your fingers; there's a process to that. And he's been going through it. And we've seen him grow. We've seen his body mature, from his first year, second year. And here we are, six years later. You know, he's got that man body. But I don't worry about it."
With Hughes' injury history, he needs a bigger linemate to play alongside him, and finding that winger, whoever it may be, should be one of Fitzgerald's first items on his to-do list this summer.
It just might take a trade to get it done.
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