Tom Fitzgerald (ice hockey)

For The Boston Globe ice hockey journalist, see Tom Fitzgerald (journalist).

Tom Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald in 2012
Born	(1968-08-28) August 28, 1968 Billerica, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	191 lb (87 kg; 13 st 9 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Right
Played for	New York Islanders Florida Panthers Colorado Avalanche Nashville Predators Chicago Blackhawks Toronto Maple Leafs Boston Bruins
National team	United States
NHL Draft	17th overall, 1986 New York Islanders
Playing career	1988–2006

Thomas James Fitzgerald (born August 28, 1968) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League. He currently serves as the general manager and executive Vice President of the New Jersey Devils. He won the Stanley Cup in 2009 as a director of player development with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Playing career

Fitzgerald played his high school hockey at Austin Preparatory School in Reading, Massachusetts, he then went on to play college hockey for Providence College and was selected by the New York Islanders of the NHL in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft (1st round, 17th overall). He turned pro in 1988 with the Islanders' American Hockey League affiliate Springfield Indians, and in 1990 was one of the key players who led Indians to the Calder Cup championship.

He played parts of five seasons for the Islanders and became the first player in NHL playoff history to score two shorthanded goals on the same minor penalty, against the Pittsburgh Penguins on May 2, 1993, which also equaled the NHL record for shorthanded goals by a player in one game. He was selected as one of the original Florida Panthers in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft. Although he has been cast as a defensive forward in the NHL, he had his best scoring years in Miami and was one of the leaders in Florida's 1996 Stanley Cup run. In those 1995–96 playoffs, Fitzgerald scored the decisive goal in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a 58-foot slapshot that found its way past Penguins goaltender Tom Barrasso.

He was briefly traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 1998 before being drafted in another expansion draft, this time by the Nashville Predators, who sought out his veteran leadership. Fitzgerald was named Nashville's first captain, serving in the capacity for four seasons. He subsequently played for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had signed with the Maple Leafs to a two-year contract on July 18, 2002. While with Toronto, Fitzgerald and his Maple Leafs teammate Gary Roberts both played in the 1,000th game of their careers on January 13, 2004.

In the summer of 2004, Fitzgerald signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins. In July 2006, the Boston Bruins chose not to renew his contract. He announced his retirement after 17 NHL seasons on September 12, 2006.

Executive career

In July 2007, Fitzgerald left NESN when he was named Director of Player Development for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In October, he was then named as an assistant coach for the United States national team for Deutschland Cup, helping push them to second place. On July 3, 2009, Fitzgerald was then promoted within the Penguins organization to assistant general manager. On July 24, 2015, Fitzgerald was named assistant general manager for the New Jersey Devils. On January 12, 2020, Fitzgerald was named interim general manager of the Devils' after Ray Shero was fired. On July 9, 2020, Fitzgerald was named Executive Vice President and full time General Manager of the Devils.

Personal life

Tom and his wife Kerry have four sons; Ryan, Casey, Jack and Brendan. Fitzgerald did a stint as an analyst for the Outdoor Life Network during the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs, and was one of NESN's studio analysts during postgame coverage of Boston Bruins' matches. His son Ryan was drafted in the fourth round (120th overall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, and currently plays for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Philadelphia Flyers's AHL affiliate. Casey, who was drafted in the third round (86th overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, currently plays for the Rochester Americans, the Sabres' AHL affiliate. Both Ryan and Casey attended Boston College, skating on the same roster from 2015–2017.

Fitzgerald grew up with his cousin, NHL player Keith Tkachuk. He is also cousins with Tkachuk's sons Matthew of the Florida Panthers and Brady of the Ottawa Senators, as well as Kevin Hayes of the Philadelphia Flyers and the late Jimmy Hayes, who most recently played for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1984–85	Austin Preparatory School	HSMA		18	20	21	41	—		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Austin Preparatory School	HSMA		24	35	38	73	—		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	Providence Friars	HE		27	8	14	22	22		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Providence Friars	HE		36	19	15	34	50		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	Springfield Indians	AHL		61	24	18	42	43		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	New York Islanders	NHL		23	3	5	8	10		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Springfield Indians	AHL		53	30	23	53	32		14	2	9	11	13
1989–90	New York Islanders	NHL		19	2	5	7	4		4	1	0	1	4
1990–91	Capital District Islanders	AHL		27	7	7	14	50		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	New York Islanders	NHL		41	5	5	10	24		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	Capital District Islanders	AHL		4	1	1	2	4		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	New York Islanders	NHL		45	6	11	17	28		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	New York Islanders	NHL		77	9	18	27	34		18	2	5	7	18
1993–94	Florida Panthers	NHL		83	18	14	32	54		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Florida Panthers	NHL		48	3	13	16	31		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Florida Panthers	NHL		82	13	21	34	75		22	4	4	8	34
1996–97	Florida Panthers	NHL		71	10	14	24	64		5	0	1	1	0
1997–98	Florida Panthers	NHL		69	10	5	15	57		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		11	2	1	3	22		7	0	1	1	20
1998–99	Nashville Predators	NHL		80	13	19	32	48		—	—	—	—	—
1999–00	Nashville Predators	NHL		82	13	9	22	66		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Nashville Predators	NHL		82	9	9	18	71		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Nashville Predators	NHL		63	7	9	16	33		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		15	1	3	4	6		5	0	0	0	4
2002–03	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		66	4	13	17	57		7	0	1	1	4
2003–04	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		69	7	10	17	52		10	0	0	0	6
2005–06	Boston Bruins	NHL		71	4	6	10	40		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				1,097	139	190	329	776		78	7	12	19	90

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1987	United States	WJC	4th		7	3	0	3	2
1989	United States	WC	6th		10	0	2	2	12
1991	United States	WC	4th		10	1	0	1	6
Junior totals					7	3	0	3	2
Senior totals					20	1	2	3	18

See also

• List of NHL players with 1,000 games played

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Legends of Hockey

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Derek King	New York Islanders first round draft pick 1986	Succeeded by Dean Chynoweth
Preceded by Position created	Nashville Predators captain 1998–2002	Succeeded by Greg Johnson
Preceded by Ray Shero	General manager of the New Jersey Devils 2020–present	Succeeded by Incumbent