New Jersey Devils: Perfect Lineup For 2020-21 Season
Goaltending
Mackenzie Blackwood and Corey Crawford
It is amazing that with one signing, one of the biggest issues with the team became one of it’s biggest strengths. They were a team that had an unstable backup goalie last season with Cory Schneider going back and forth from the NHL to the AHL. Mackenzie Blackwood carried the load for the team and was awesome while doing it. Now, they have added in Corey Crawford to help him out in 2020-21.
Saying Blackwood carried the team in 2019-20 is an understatement. The Devils came in the last place of the Metropolitan Division with a record of 28-29-12. Blackwood, however, went 22-14-8. That means all of the backup goalies combined for a record of 6-15-4. You have to think that if the goaltending was just a little bit better, they would have been in the return to play bubble.
The addition of Corey Crawford should really help them. There are going to be a lot of back to backs this season because of how condensed the schedule is going to be. If Blackwood and Crawford both play as well as they did last season, this could be a team that surprises a lot of people. Goaltending is the biggest key to winning in the NHL and the Devils have a pair of great goalies.
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Not only is Crawford a fantastic goaltender, but he is also wildly experienced. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks. This is a very young Devils team that is only going to get younger before it gets older so having a veteran champion like Crawford should be really nice for a couple of years. This duo could mask some of the defensive deficiencies that the Devils might have this season. Hopefully, it allows them to win more than they lose.