New Jersey Devils: Can Cory Schneider Win 2020 Bill Masterton Trophy?

If the New Jersey Devils want to redeem themselves in 2019-20, one player who will need to have the strongest rebound season is goaltender Cory Schneider. Think about how the New Jersey Devils made the playoffs last year—that feat would have been impossible without the play of former net minder Keith Kinkaid. Fast-forward to this year—while injuries certainly factored—goaltending ultimately derailed this season for the New Jersey Devils.

It just goes to show how pivotal goaltending is to this organization’s success.

It’s too early for us to determine whether or not Mackenzie Blackwood is a legitimate net minder and when you take Schneider’s contract situation into consideration (three seasons left with a $6 million AAV), it reiterates how important it is for the 33-year old to rebound strong next year if the New Jersey Devils want any shot at redemption. While Schneider’s play may make or break the Devils playoff chances in 2020, a solid turnaround campaign could also garner enough recognition to earn Schneider a Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nomination.

The Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the National Hockey League player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,” was last awarded to former New Jersey Devils forward Brian Boyle. In his first season with the Devils, Boyle was diagnosed with leukemia and missed the first 13 games of 2017-2018 to receive treatment. Upon returning, the towering center collected 13 goals and 23 points in 69 contests, represented the New Jersey Devils in the 2018 NHL All-Star Game and helped lead New Jersey to its first postseason berth since 2012.

In the last two seasons, Schneider—as we all know—has struggled mightily, between battling a rash of nagging injuries and trying to solve his uncharacteristically disastrous play. He has only registered six victories in the last 15 months and won just 23 of his last 64 games. In his last three seasons, Schneider hasn’t registered a GAA lower than 2.82, along with a save percentage higher than .908. To offer a little perspective, Schneider went 27-25-6 with a 2.15 GAA and .924 save percentage in his last truly commendable season (2015-16).

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The extent of Schneider’s struggles this season were stifling enough to even make many fans and writers covering the Devils begin to question the 33 year old’s overall NHL future, let alone with the New Jersey Devils. Since his latest return from injury in February, Schneider has gone 6-7-2, posting a 2.33 GAA and .924 save percentage—numbers that are more characteristic of Schneider’s play in the first three of his six seasons with New Jersey.

To make 2019-20 a redemption season for the New Jersey Devils, Schneider must post numbers similar to the figures mentioned in the previous paragraph, regardless of whether he splits the workload with Blackwood or reestablished himself as the team’s official starter. While there might be doubts over Schneider’s ability of rebounding due to his age and subpar play since 2017, let’s keep two things in mind—it’s not uncommon for NHL players of all ages and positions to establish or redeem themselves, and Schneider is posting these numbers since early-February in front of a severely dilapidated and underachieving New Jersey Devils team, whose season was already lost by the time Schneider returned.

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If he sustains a clean bill of health, plays in front of an improved team and has truly regained his confidence, the New Jersey Devils could find themselves in a completely different situation one year from now. Nonetheless, a performance of this caliber from Schneider and how it impacts his team’s success next season likely won’t go unnoticed.

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