How Long Can New Jersey Devils Afford Life Without Cory Schneider

New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider is still recovering from hip surgery. He’s expected to miss the beginning of the season. How long can the Devils afford to be without their starting goalie?

One of the major storylines for the New Jersey Devils going into next season is Cory Schneider. One of the major storylines going into last season was Cory Schneider. A major storyline for the Devils going into the next four seasons is going to be Cory Schneider. That’s what happens when you have a starting goaltender making $6 million per season that isn’t living up to expectations.

To be fair, Schneider has dealt with some injuries, that contributed to his lackluster play. This offseason, he had a major surgery that will hopefully fix the issue. However, that surgery’s recovery is going to last into the season.

Last season, Schneider was amazing to start the year. There was talking into December he could be in the conversation for the Vezina Trophy. Then, he hurt his groin and everything was over from there.

Now that Schneider is getting a very important hip surgery, hopefully he comes back as the player he was to start last year. With that thought process in mind, how long can the Devils afford to be without Cory?

Obviously, that depends on a lot of factors. First and foremost, it’s all about Keith Kinkaid. Kinkaid was a rock for the Devils down the stretch. He’s the reason the team made the playoffs at all. Then, he fell apart.

Kinkaid won seven of his last eight starts when the Devils needed to win every single one. He even had a .951 save percentage in those last three starts in April when the Florida Panthers were nipping at their heels.

However, the second the playoffs started he was another player. In one and a half games, he allowed nine goals on 46 shots. Yes, he was at times left out to dry, but the defense did not get better this offseason. If he plays like he did in the playoffs, things won’t go very well.

The Devils re-signed Eddie Lack to play backup while Schneider is out. He’ll probably get four starts per month if Kinkaid plays well. If Kinkaid doesn’t play well, he could split starts with Lack. Lack was good for two gams with the Devils, and slightly below average for another two. He seems to have some new life since joining the Devils.

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So, the question again is how long can the Devils last without Schneider?

Well, the first month is a terror. Have you seen who the Devils are playing? So, the Devils take on six playoff teams, including the defending champion Washington Capitals. Their three non-playoff teams include Connor McDavid in Sweden, Jamie Benn and the Dallas Stars, and the team that lost to the Devils by one point in the Florida Panthers.

Honestly, if Kinkaid is someone besides the player he was in the stretch run, things can get hairy. Even with that risk, the Devils can survive the first month without their starter. The Devils have a much easier schedule in November. Let’s say they go 3-5-1 in the first month, a heavy dose of the Islanders, Senators and Red Wings will help them bounce back in November with the right man in net. If Schneider is out longer than the first month, the Devils may be looking at a lost season.

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