New Jersey Devils: 5 Things To Watch In First Week Of Season

GOTHENBURG, SWE - OCTOBER 5: NJ Devil of the New Jersey Devils poses for a photo with a fan during practice at Scandinavium on October 5, 2018 in Gothenburg, Sweden. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)
GOTHENBURG, SWE - OCTOBER 5: NJ Devil of the New Jersey Devils poses for a photo with a fan during practice at Scandinavium on October 5, 2018 in Gothenburg, Sweden. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)
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(Photo by Robert Hradil/NHLI via Getty Images)
(Photo by Robert Hradil/NHLI via Getty Images)

Keith Kinkaid Holds Down The Fort

Cory Schneider is starting the season on injured reserve after hip surgery in the offseason. It was a nagging injury that needed to get fixed in a bad way. He will likely still need a few more weeks of work before he’s ready to come back and become the starter again.

Meanwhile, Keith Kinkaid will hold down the fort. Kinkaid was great last season down the stretch, becoming a main factor in why the Devils made the playoffs in the first place. He won 11 of his last 14 starts, while posting some really good numbers. The Devils were scoring, and even when they weren’t, Kinkaid was keeping them in games.

He will have to do that again while the Devils wait for Schneider to return. Kinkaid is in the final year of his deal, so he’s playing for his next contract. Whether that’s in New Jersey or somewhere else remains to be seen, but either way it all starts this week.