New Jersey Devils: Mackenzie Blackwood’s Contract is a Steal
The New Jersey Devils have finally signed RFA goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to a deal worth $2.8 million each of the next three seasons. This is a huge deal for the Devils, who now have a solid two goaltenders for two seasons after signing Corey Crawford in the offseason. Both are good enough to make a bottom-five defense in the league look far more serviceable. Blackwood and Crawford are the biggest keys to the Devils team this year and any success they have will be thanks to their efforts.
Last season with Blackwood in net, the Devils record was 22-14-0-8 while without him they were as bad as the bottom of the league sporting an awful 6-15-0-2 record. This is why so much relies on good goaltending.
With solid stats on a bad team including a 2.77 goals against average and a .915 save percentage at only 24 years of age, Blackwood has room to improve. If the team in front of him takes a step forward, these numbers could push him into a top-10 goaltender in the NHL. His save percentage was good enough for 26th in the NHL last season. While that does not sound great, factoring in the defense that’s in front of him, it is very good. While comparing and looking at more advanced stats, Blackwood was only one of four goaltenders last season to have a positive goals saved vs expected goals against. All the others (Tuukka Rask, Carter Hart, and Connor Hellebuyck) were on solid teams.
When looking at this from a team cap perspective, Blackwood is making less than bottom-pairing defender Will Butcher and only $50k above bottom-line forward Miles Wood. Around the league, the other goaltenders Blackwood is comparable to are making three times his money. While he still, if he continues this level of play, has a big chance at a contract when he is a free agent in three seasons, this is still a steal for the Devils with zero risk. Fitzgerald has given a team with a ton of cap space room to make moves and keep anyone they need. With this contract in the books, all focus will be on Jesper Bratt and what he signs for next before camp can get under way and the season of hockey to begin.
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It is a good day to be a Devils fan.