HE DID NOTHING: Tom Fitzgerald HUMILIATES HIMSELF in Presser After Standing Pat at TDL

It's the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.

I'm Joey Erickson of Lockdown Stars.

In business, there's no room for guesswork.

Every shipment matters, every deadline counts.

When you're trying to keep operations running smoothly, the last thing you need is uncertainty.

That's why reliability is at the core of USPS Ground Advantage.

Each package moves through a secure nationwide network, track from dock to door with affordable

upfront pricing.

And delivery, you can depend on because knowing your logistics are handled lets you focus

on everything else.

Visit usps.com slash ground advantage to start shipping with confidence, USPS official

shipping sponsor of the NHL.

I'm Aaron Judge.

Welcome to MLB The Show 26.

The greatest game in baseball is back, whether you're a gamer or a baseball fan.

This one is tough to put down.

Jump into franchise mode with your favorite team.

Build your roster, chase a pennant, and see if you have what it takes to win it all.

It's the closest thing to being in the big leagues yourself.

Visit MLBThe.show slash Lockdown and use code Lockdown to unlock a pack for diamond

dynasty.

Internet connection required.

Preorder now on PlayStation 5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch, rated E for everyone.

MLB The Show 26, own the show.

I wanted to take some time just to let everything marinate and set in and think about how

to express the way I feel, the way the fan base, the whole is feeling.

I just wanted to get this one right because Tom Fitzgerald certainly did it.

Your Lockdown Devils, your daily podcast on the New Jersey Devils, part of the Lockdown

podcast network.

Our team, every day, extra cold brew for this one.

This is Lockdown Devils, part of the Lockdown podcast network.

Now the number one sports podcast network in the world.

And oh boy, we have a doozy for you today.

I can't believe I can't believe, but I can't believe.

This tree deadline went the way it did that press conference, what the way it did.

Is it a bad thing that it went the way it did?

We'll discuss that because weirdly enough, today's outcome, perhaps was not the worst

case scenario.

My name is Zach Berman.

I'm the host of Lockdown Devils and today was the NHL trade deadline and the New Jersey

Devils acquired nobody.

They traded nobody.

The only player they lost was Luke Glendending via waiver claim by the Philadelphia

flyers.

And weirdly enough, I don't have that much of a problem with that.

I know there are people who are saying, well, maybe he should have gotten back up for

a second.

Well, let's just map this out because we're going to talk about the trade deadline from

a Jersey standpoint, which there really isn't that much to talk about because Tom Fitzgerald

literally did nothing.

We're going to talk about it from a league standpoint and then we're going to talk about

the pressur because honestly, the pressur could warrant its own video entirely.

But the Devils did nothing.

And given what I maybe would have liked them to sell, but Jonathan Kovasevich utilized

his no trade clause, why does he have a no trade clause, man, oh my God.

And I said, I want to stay in New Jersey, Devils per James Nichols and was not being dealt.

Cody Glass was not being dealt, which is possibly a good thing because I would just open

up another hole in the roster.

Nick Buchstead is not being dealt as he wants to be a part of the team going for it.

I mean, he's not exactly playing at an expensive cap, it's so sure.

Dougie Hamilton, not being dealt.

We'll get back to that one.

Dawson Mercer not being dealt.

You want to see Genthull or not being dealt.

We had the whole thing of, oh, who played their last game in the New Jersey Devils uniform

turns out basically nobody did.

And we're back at square one.

It seems like I don't know if this was by design.

That dumb Fitzgerald wants to punt everything to the off season, which given the state

of the standings right now might not be the worst idea, except this was supposed to be

a playoff team.

They're now what nine points out of a playoff spot on March 6th, like it's not over, but

like it's very nearly over.

It's been an object failure of a season.

It's been one of the worst seasons in franchise history, especially compared to expectations.

It's a disaster.

And they let Tom Fitzgerald run the deadline.

Now when I say that this could have been worse, it almost certainly could have been worse

because I was worried that Tom Fitzgerald would be buying.

And maybe he tried to buy and didn't, but there were some, some buys that were, oh, boy,

let's talk Islanders.

A first, a third, and a prospect for Braden Shen.

Matthew Tarsh, what the hell?

I mean, that's fun that that's in our division, but dude.

I know Islanders fans probably don't want to hear this.

You got to have the Darshan conversation.

Now, he's brought in Jonathan Drew and Andre Palat, Carson Susie, and Braden Shen in

one year.

Those players are not going to make you better.

They're just going to make you older and worse, even if it's playoff hockey, big, mean,

physical, whatever.

That doesn't help.

That doesn't help you.

The Kings, they went out and got Scott Lawton.

That doesn't help you.

Oh, dude, there are a lot of bad GMs this week.

Like, oh, my God, I think the big, overhaul takeaway that I've had from today is that

good lord.

Topfist Gerald is an absolutely terrible GM.

Like, do not get this twisted.

I am not defending Fitsy by any stretch of the imagination.

But he is not alone in being absolutely dreadful.

Danny Breyer, not being able to trade Rasmus versus the line, and picking up Luke Glund

Denning, Don Waddell, picking up Connor Garland's entire contract, he hasn't scored in 23

games.

Chris Truy, not being able to get rid of Vincent Trochak.

Surprise season for the Bruins, Don Sweeney doesn't buy.

Sharma sending that much capital to the Winnipeg Jets for Logan Stanley and Luke Shen

after Colton Perrego's trade fell through, like, what?

The Leafs just exist.

Devils are not alone in this front, having a terrible GM.

But unfortunately, they have a terrible GM.

And given some of the mistakes he has made in the past, I was really worried that Tom Fitzgerald

was going to step on the rake again and wind up buying with this team so far out of

a spy in a buyer's market.

Justin Faulkner did a first and a third, like, what the hell?

But at the end of the day, there was not a mistake made that could have set the Devils

back further, which is what I was worried about.

And thank goodness, this team's already in a bad enough spot as is, they don't need

to be in a worse spot.

And it also potentially signifies that ownership didn't let him do anything, but that is

a whole nother can of worms.

God, ownership, ownership, ownership, oh boy, there are some conversations that have to

build.

I mean, I think a lot of people have been having them for a while, but oh my god, oh my

god, are they letting him ride this out?

Are they going to fire him?

Do they want to fire him?

Do they plan on firing him?

Does it even matter?

I'm losing my mind, guys.

But there's obviously been, like, a long-term narrative among the fan base that I didn't

want to buy into.

I was hoping I didn't have to buy into it, that the owners just don't care about winning.

They already have the money because they have the arena and the concert revenue that

comes with it.

I didn't want to believe that, but if they're holding on to Tom Fitzgerald and letting

him run this into the ground, then yeah, this ownership team just does not, they don't

care about winning whatsoever, and that is just an absolute catastrophe.

And oh yeah, Tom Fitzgerald was asked about his job security and he said that he plans

on being back next year and that him and David Blitzer and Locke Step and I want to scream

about this pressur that was so unbelievably embarrassing, and we're going to do that

on the other side of the break.

Next, some off the undecloss.

Today's episode is presented by Indeed, Tom Fitzgerald had to like you to start looking

there, workplace chaos deadline stacking up, binbox overflowing in the one position you

have to feel still sitting open, the pressure is on, and you need the right hire, go indeed,

and that is a job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs.

Indeed Sponsored Jobs helps you reach the people who actually fit what you're looking

for, skills, experience, location, so you're not just hoping the right candidate stumbles

across your post.

And here's a stat that says it all in the minute I've been talking to you, companies like

yours made 27 hires on Indeed according to Indeed data worldwide.

So if you're hiring spend less time searching and more time interviewing candidate to check

all your boxes with Indeed Sponsored Jobs spend less time searching and more time actually

interviewing candidates to check all your boxes less stress less time, more results.

When you need the right person to cut through the chaos, this job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs.

And listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to help your job get the premium

status.

It deserves it.

Indeed dot com slash podcast.

Just go to Indeed dot com slash podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard

about Indeed on this podcast, Indeed dot com slash podcast terms and conditions apply.

I need to hire this is a job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs.

All right.

Let's get this.

Let's get into the good stuff.

If you've been thinking about joining the every day or club now is the time again, you

get ad free shows and access to a group chat on discord.

And if you're signed up before the NCAA tournament tips off, you can get into your every day

or club bracket.

Well, I'm discord for a chance to win locked on merch.

It should be a lot of fun right now.

You can use the code March to get your first month free link is in the show notes, join

the every day or club for ad free audio access to our group chat on discord and more use

the code.

Well, I guess I can't say use the code deadline because the deadline was today.

So use the code March to get your first month free.

If you don't know, March madness is like my favorite time of year.

And it's going to serve as a good distraction because the New Jersey Devils right now are

in it.

Oh, God, look, they're not in a great spot with the general manager.

We knew that.

But we also knew that this guy wasn't exactly a stone cold killer when it came to press

conferences.

It's not a good public speaker like he's just not that that that is what it is.

Some guys just don't that doesn't necessarily mean you're bad GM, but today, Tom Fitzgerald

stepped up to the podium with almost no warning.

It happened so quickly after the pencils were down at three o'clock Eastern that whether

it was by design or not, there's no recording of it.

Fans can't watch the video.

Fans cannot watch the presser and I think the devils prefer that because going off of

our reporter contingent, this is very easily the most embarrassing press conference in modern

day New Jersey Devils franchise history.

I don't say that lightly.

This was a joke.

This was a complete nutter joke of a presser by a complete nutter utter joke of a GM

who has been given unlimited job security by a complete nutter joke of an ownership

group who supposedly still believes in him.

You're just wasting our time as fans by keeping this guy around like that's it.

That's all there is to it like I feel like I have wasted my time rooting for this team

because of this GM.

We don't have to go over everything he's screwed up.

That would take two hours, but what we do have to talk about is just the way he answered

those questions today, this egotistical smug.

I can't do anything wrong.

You could put this guy in a lab.

If I went to like chat GPT and I asked, build me the absolute worst possible general manager

as a sports fan in every capacity, the algorithm would spit out Tom Fitzgerald way too reactive

that way too patient way too egotistical but way too soft has done a billion things that

should have gotten him fired and yet may never actually be fired.

Supposedly ownership believes in him and if that's the case sell the team, you might

as well just get rid of Jack, get rid of Niko and not even try if you're going to keep

him around because you're just wasting everybody's time if that is the case, you're wasting

the time of your star players.

Simple as that like I am so living as to how this presser went down.

The way it was set up, the way it was some of the, oh god, like I'm in a hotel room

so I can't go yelling screamy but I really really want to.

Where do we start?

Duggy Hamilton stuff.

Tom Fitzgerald was asked if Duggy Hamilton was being shot and he said no, we were not

shopping Duggy Hamilton.

I did not have Duggy Hamilton's name out there.

Huh, well that's funny because a few months ago, Duggy Hamilton was healthy scratched,

wasn't healthy scratched, in an attempt to try and get him to wave his no trade cause.

Tom Fitzgerald literally spoke on it, it's in the business of our lineup, does he think

we're stupid?

We're not even at just bad trade, or bad trade deadline pressers for the sake of it anymore.

We are just actively lying now.

I did not have Duggy Hamilton's name out there, stop it.

Oh god, what else did he say?

Like I want to throw my computer through the television that is in this room.

Tom Fitzgerald on the lack of movement on trade deadline day.

I just think and believe there are teams that are in playoff spots that probably would

admit they didn't get there this quick and other teams that unfortunately aren't like

us but still believe in the group and don't want to blow the whole thing up so I think

there were a lot of teams not willing to move pieces because they're not okay.

That makes sense, but it sounds like an excuse, so you know what, oh my god like holding

a closed media session during the worst season in modern day New Jersey Devil's history

is absolutely crazy and the two things that are just making me want to pull my hair out were

the Duggy comment and that freaking thing about ownership David Plitzer and I are in

a lockstep. Well if you're in a lockstep and in sync and sticking around and you're

a lockstep and staying put then I'm lockstep and saying I'm not going to spend a cent on

this hockey team until both of them are gone and neither should you lockstep.

I've seen a lot of bad things from general managers in my time as a sports fan like I

was a Giants fan. I am a Giants fan. Dave Gettelman told the press we didn't sign Odell

Beckham to trade him and then they traded him right after like I am not a stranger to bad

general managers, but to have a GM straight up lie like that. That was one of the most shocking,

stupid thing and just absolutely infuriating things I've ever seen as a sports fan ever, ever.

He, the owners, they think the fans of this team are stupid. They think you are stupid. They think

I am stupid and it is pathetic and they don't even try and hide it.

They don't try to hide it and I'm just going to continue the rant on the other side of this break

because I'm just going to go one take the rest of the way. I'm so mad. I'm so mad. This is locked

on pedals. Control what your hockey team does but you can certainly control what you put in your

body and that is where factor comes in cold days back schedules and big goals. That's winter and

when there's not a lot of time to cook, eating well can feel like another thing. I'm just

do less. That's what factor comes in. Factor makes healthy eating easy with fully prepared meals

designed by dieticians and crafted by chefs so you can eat well without the planning prepping

your cooking, no refined sugars, no artificial sweeteners, no refined seed oils. The ingredients

stand out lean proteins, colorful veggies, whole foods and healthy fats. Perfect for busy meals when

you still are perfect for busy weeks when you still want meals that support your goals without

stress. Head to factor meals dot com slash locked on NHL 50 off and you could lock down NHL 50 off

to 50% off and free breakfast for a year. Eat like a pro this month with factor new subscribers.

Only fairies buy plan. One free breakfast item per box for one year while your subscription

is active.

What are we doing man? Like what are we doing? Why are we wasting our time here? Why?

I'm so fed up. I'm so frustrated like oh my god. What are we doing?

Why is Tom Fitzgerald being allowed to run this team into the ground? Why? Why why why why why?

And we can do nothing about it. Ah! It is so infuriating. The fact that he went up there with

it presumably a smug smile because we couldn't even watch the presser.

This team fell apart after a red hot start and who did they pick up?

Nick Bukestead at Max Zipplekov. That's it. That is it.

And now we have to sit here and wait until the end of the season

and see if ownership actually pulls the trigger. Because if not, I don't know man. Like I don't know.

Like I think the the best way to sum it up is what Arthur Staples said from the athletic

honestly not sure what to make of this whole situation now. Notary did all tells me that ownership

is punting all decisions front office on down to the off season. GM Tom Fitzgerald told the media

after the deadline I sure do expect to be back after next season. If that's the case,

an ownership has blessed it. Then doing nothing today was bad planning simple. Whatever plans fits

had had to get moving today and they didn't. Not sure there's a team in the league at

more of a crossroads in New Jersey. Vancouver seems pretty hopeless. Nashville is a mess,

but New Jersey is just a puzzlement to me unless there's an aggressive overhaul in the off season.

Don't know what to think of this franchise at this moment. They can be so much better than what they

are. Even if they had an average GM to be fair, I don't really know how many average GMs there

are in the league because here, like I said, a lot of terrible GMs out there. But today,

today was, was just pathetic. Today was simply pathetic. And I'm shocked. I'm not shocked.

It's like there are parts that don't even mind that he didn't make moves and we won't know whether

that is a good thing or not until the off season because for all we know and I don't want to get

your hopes up. Maybe there's a chance that Tom Fitzgerald was not allowed to do anything by

ownership and therefore was forced to stand back. That is a possibility. It's not something I'd

get my hopes up over because this is an HBSE team after all. But it's certainly a possibility.

Now on the flip side, there's a scenario where he just couldn't get anything done and

we're stuck here. Like, we're going to run it back this off season, probably screw

out a little bit more. Maybe if you're lucky, get the Niko contract on. If I'm him, I don't want to

sign here. Like, I'd demand a trade out. Oh, yes, Simone Nehmitch got a new agent. He probably

wants out. He couldn't sell him today. Like, we're not going to know whether today was a good thing

or not until the off season. Like, maybe just maybe we come back in a few weeks.

Ownership is actually regretful about the way things have gone and they say, look,

hasn't gone the way we hoped. We're going to run a full GM search. We're going to run a full

head coaching search. New GM will pick the new head coach. The whole front-off is going to get

cleaned out. Maybe that's what happens. We're probably living in a fantasy land if you're hoping

for that. Like, I think we're going to have to, like, we're going to have to hold our breaths

for dear life until this Fitzgerald thing is solved. Like, I went into today, like, somewhat

confident that he's going to be fired after today. Now, granted, he's not going to say, no,

I don't expect to be, no, I expect to be fired. Like, he won't say that. But now, today,

I'm leaning towards him keeping his job and that is so utterly terrifying. Why are we here?

Why, man, just why?

That was for the Rangers tomorrow. The best rivalry in the National Hockey League has just been

reduced to who hates their GM. In true, we had a bad day, too. I am, I am at a complete

notter loss. I'm just, I, I got nothing. I got nothing. Like, I want to scream and yell and be

all angry, but like, I got nothing. Because guess what? Clearly, the GM had nothing, too.

Well, recap the Ranger game tomorrow. Can't believe it's the first Devil Ranger game all season,

but both teams already have it. Oh, yeah, it's on National TV. Again, uh, recap the game tomorrow.

It's a 330 puck drop. You know, we're to find me on socials at lockdown devils where

add sack bread bourbon on my personal. If you've never missed an episode of the Everydayer Club

is built for you, get locked on devils ad free plus members only discord access and more

join the club. And for those of you on video, we send you to the first ever 24-7 National Lockdown

Podcast Network YouTube channel on audio. Make sure your second listen is NHL game night on

lockdown NHL. Thanks for stopping by by joining this podcast today and listening to me. You did

more than Tom Fitzgerald do today. So congratulations. You accomplished something. Once again,

like, subscribe. Thanks for stopping by. Let's go devils. And as always,

fire literally everybody and sell the team.

The first and only FDA approved prescription medicine for moderate to severe obstructive

sleep apnea, OSA, and adults with obesity. Zetbound is an injectable prescription medicine that

may help adults with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, OSA, and obesity to improve their OSA.

Zetbound should be used with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity. Zetbound

is approved as a 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, or 15 milligram injection. Zetbound contains

tersepotide and should not be used with other tersepotide-containing products or any GLP-1 receptor

agonist medicines. It is not known if Zetbound is safe and effective for use in children. Do not

share needles or pens or reuse needles. Don't take Zetbound if allergic to it, or if you or

someone in your family had medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2.

Tell your doctor if you get a lump or swelling in your neck. Stop Zetbound and call your doctor if

you have severe stomach pain or a serious allergic reaction. Severe side effects may include

inflamed pancreas or gallbladder problems. Tell your doctor if you experience vision changes,

depression, or suicidal thoughts before schedule procedures with anesthesia. If you're nursing,

pregnant plan to be or taking birth control pills. Taking Zetbound with a sulfonoluria or insulin

may cause low blood sugar. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which can cause

dehydration and worsen kidney problems. Talk to your doctor. Call 1-800-545-5979 or visit

zetbound.lily.com. Zetbound and its delivery device base in QuickPin are registered

trademarks owned or licensed by Eli Lilly and company. It's subsidiaries or affiliates.

When you invest with Fidelity Go, it does all the work for you. So, while Fidelity Go monitors

the markets, rebalances your portfolio, and tracks your progress to keep your investments aligned

with your goal. You can invest your time however you want, all while paying no advisory fees

under 25k. Invest your money, not your time, with Fidelity Go. Get started at Fidelity.com slash Go.

Advisory services offered by strategic advisors LLC, a registered investment advisor,

brokerage services provided by Fidelity brokerage services LLC, member NYSE and SIPC.

Get in the game with the college branded Venmo debit card.

Record your team with every tap and earn up to 5% cash back with Venmo stash, a new rewards program

from Venmo. No monthly fee, no minimum balance, just school pride and spending power.

Get in the game and sign up for the Venmo debit card at Venmo.com slash college card.

The Venmo master card is issued by the bank court bank NA. Select schools available.

Venmo stash terms and exclusions apply at Venmo.me slash stash terms. Max $100 cash back per month.