On finding a collaborative head coach and the Dougie Hamilton trickle-down effect

Fitzgerald made some noteworthy comments about what he's looking for in a coach. Plus, why a healthy Hamilton should greatly benefit Siegenthaler and L. Hughes.

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A few New Jersey Devils notes as they slowly enter off-season mode:

Finding the right coach

At his end-of-year availability, Tom Fitzgerald was asked about what he’s looking for in the next coach of the Devils.

He cited a lot of the cliche stuff – someone who communicates well, someone who will hold players accountable, etc. – but mentioned one thing that stood out to me.

He said he wanted a collaborative coach who uses all the departments and resources the organization has to offer – like analytics and sports science – to help with lineup construction, game planning, and practices.

While that is to be expected of any well-run sports organization in 2024, it was still very refreshing to hear that as a priority.

Using numbers and science to make good decisions is one thing. Perhaps equally important is avoiding truly bad ones. Routinely pairing Luke Hughes with Brendan Smith would be a good example.

Those two were an unmitigated disaster anytime and every time they were put together yet Lindy Ruff and Travis Green went back to the well on countless occasions.

Having someone who is truly willing to reference the numbers to help avoid blind spots would be invaluable.

There’s still hope for Siegenthaler