<p>Leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald has made it as clear as day, the team is open for business.</p>



<p>Fitzgerald met with <a href="https://www.nhl.com/news/new-jersey-open-to-dealing-no-10-pick-in-2024-nhl-draft">NHL.com’s Mike Morreale</a> during the NHL Scouting Combine on Monday and put the rest of the league on notice about his aspirations this offseason. The Devils want to add another goaltender to their depth chart and Fitzgerald is willing to pay a high price to make it happen. </p>



<p>“If we feel it helps us now and in the foreseeable future, then, yes, I’m listening. I haven’t gotten anything yet but the more I talk to teams, I say ‘Listen, I’m open to moving No. 10, but it’s going to have to be something (significant),” the Devils GM told NHL.com. “At the end of the day, we’re in a position now versus two years ago when we drafted (defenseman) Simon Nemec (No. 2 in the 2022 NHL Draft) where if we can find the right piece to help us get to where we want to go today, tomorrow and wherever the controllable future is for that player, great. I’m in the goalie market talking to teams, but there’s a ‘but’ and the ‘but’ is how do we want to build our team?” We’d like to add up front, we’d like to add on the back end, so what are those pieces going to cost us. With the goaltending, what’s that going to cost us?”</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="244"></div>



<p>New Jersey currently has 33-year-old veteran Jake Allen signed for next season at a $1.92-million cap hit. Fitzgerald acquired the veteran netminder from the Montreal Canadiens ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, sending a conditional 2025 third-round draft pick in exchange. The condition is based on appearances during the 2024-25 campaign, where it could be upgraded to a second-rounder should Allen play more than 40 games and his team makes the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Allen appeared in 13 games for the Devils, posting a 6-6-1 record, along with a 3.11 goals-against average. </p>



<p>Fitzgerald was all over the goaltending trade market last season and found himself in some <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/jacob-markstrom-trade-rumors-highlight-how-rarely-star-goaltenders-move-mid-season">well documented trade talks</a> with the Calgary Flames for Jacob Markstrom. The deal fell through in the late stages of negotiations, after Markstrom reportedly was willing to waive his no-movement clause to join the Devils. It wasn’t unfamiliar territory for the two clubs as the Flames and Devils do have some trade history together, with a recent <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/tyler-toffoli/1656">Tyler Toffoli</a> for <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/yegor-sharangovich/29637">Yegor Sharangovich</a> swap. It’s not out of the question these two organizations could once again pick up trade talks this summer.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="189"></div>



<p>The Devils currently sit with a projected $18.8 million in cap space heading into the offseason and with a new head coach in Sheldon Keefe behind the bench. While Fitzgerald continues his search for a number-one goalie, he also has two young netminders in <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/akira-schmid/29148">Akira Schmid</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/players/news/nico-daws/29186">Nico Daws</a>. Considering how open the GM’s been about his willingness to make a trade, it’s becoming quite obvious he’d prefer an upgrade heading into next season. </p>



<p>The Devils finished the 2023-24 season with a 38-39-5 record and ranked 26th in the league, allowing 3.43 goals per game. </p>
