Devils’ general manager Tom Fitzgerald thought big Friday night.
When he drafted Luke Hughes with the No. 4-overall pick in the 2021 draft, he paired two brothers together and selected the player he felt had the biggest upside.
“It went back to who had the highest ceiling,” Fitzgerald said after choosing Hughes. “At his age, the youngest guy in the draft, that question mark of, ‘Wow, what if a year in college, two years in college and he gets stronger and then comes out?’ That’s exciting. That’s development. I just felt like this kid had the highest ceiling. It just made so much sense to call his name and it was a pleasure doing it.”
Saturday afternoon, Fitzgerald had a similar strategy. In the third and fourth round, he showcased his unique approach, adding two raw prospects in two unexpected selections.
With the 68th-overall selection — his first pick of the day — Fitzgerald chose forward Samu Salminen. The third-round pick was ranked No. 12 overall among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting and is known for his offensive poise and cerebral style of play.
He can put the puck in the net, just like Devils forwards Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes.
“I am proud to be one of those guys,” Salmainen told the media after his selection.
In the fourth round, the Devils chose goalie Jakub Malek with their second pick of the day. The Devils literally went off the board — NHL Central Scouting had Malek unranked on their list of European goalies.
The 6-foot-4, 170-pound netminder went 8-5 with a .912 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average for VHK Vsetin last year. Known for his size, he is an underrated prospect, one who Fitzgerald must know something about that others don’t.
But Fitzgerald is not afraid to take a risk. He took a risk with his 2021 draft picks. He is taking a risk by pursuing defenseman Dougie Hamilton in free agency. And he took a risk when he sent an email to NHL agents, as per The Post’s Larry Brooks, sharing the benefits of playing for the organization and in New Jersey.
So, don’t doubt Fitzgerald. He likes to think big — even when others disagree.