Heartbreak News Now, The new Jersey Devils coach and two players has announce their leaving to the team
NEWARK, New Jersey — After serving as general manager of the New Jersey Devils for more than four years, during which the three-time Stanley Cup winners only once made it to the postseason, Ray Shero was let go.
Less than ninety minutes before the struggling Devils were scheduled to play the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Prudential Center on Sunday, owner Josh Harris made the announcement. According to the owner, the change took effect right away.
Speaking at a hurriedly called news conference outside the locker room, Harris announced that Shero’s responsibilities would be handled by assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald, who would work with legendary Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur.
Harris stated, “Once you make a decision, you have to follow through on it. There’s never a good time to do this.” “We believed that doing this was best for the franchise.”
The move occurs little over a month after Shero dismissed head coach John Hynes following a disastrous start to the season and, soon after Hynes was fired, the trade of NHL MVP Taylor Hall to Arizona in 2017–18.
With great hopes going into the season, New Jersey—which has only advanced to the postseason once since the Stanley Cup Final in 2012—came in hot. Hall was making a comeback from a knee injury that kept him out of 33 games the previous campaign. Entering his third season, Nico Hischier—the top overall choice in the 17–18 draft—joined fellow center Jack Hughes, the top pick in the June draft.
Shero also signed Wayne Simmonds as a free agent, acquired the rights to Nikita Gusev, who was playing in the KHL in Russia, and traded for P.K. Subban, the winner of the Norris Trophy one time.
Nothing went as planned for the season. After six games of defeat, New Jersey’s record stood at 9-13-4. However, Hynes,The coach of the Nashville Predators was sacked recently.
The team is playing a little bit better under interim coach Alain Nasreddine.
Harris claimed to have discussed the choice with Shero during their Sunday afternoon conversation. Less than a day had passed after the Devils’ thrilling 5-1 victory against Washington in one of their greatest games of the year.
“These are not things we take lightly. Regarding his time with Shero, Harris stated, “We adopt a long-term strategy.” “But the truth is that, as we enter our fifth season, we have only once advanced to the postseason. All that needed to happen was a change.
Harris, who points out the team has a ton of draft picks and cap room, expects the team will be competitive once more soon.
Harris mentioned the Devils, the Eastern Conference’s bottom team,
The hunt for a new general manager would begin based on conference standings.
The firing took Fitzgerald by surprise.
I was invited to address our leadership group after I drove in for the game,” he stated. For me, these past few hours have flown by. I am aware of how hectic things have been for each person present. I never saw myself in this role as general manager.
According to Harris, the Devils are dedicated to Nasreddine and will give Fitzgerland a chance to be the team’s full-time general manager.
