The New Jersey Devils desperately need a better goalie situation for next season. Desperation could lead to mistakes in terms of roster management. Here are a few goalies the Devils should avoid at all costs.
The New Jersey Devils deserve a good goalie. Since Martin Brodeur left the franchise, they let a few Vezina-worthy seasons from Cory Schneider go to waste before his hip injury ended what was a productive career. Then, they watched the only decent run of Keith Kinkaid’s career. He eventually flamed out (pretty quickly, we might add). Mackenzie Blackwood showed the ability to be one of the best goalies in the league for short stretches. Then, he was one of the more inconsistent goalies in the league the past two seasons. To make up for that, the Devils signed Corey Crawford. He retired before playing a game in the red and black. They went and signed Jonathan Bernier last offseason, and his career is somewhat in jeopardy after hip surgery.
It’s been a long and terrible road in net. Tom Fitzgerald said during his exit meeting with the press that it’s a priority for the Devils to upgrade in net. They have to. They had seven different goalies this season. The Devils were one goalie away from the all-time record set by the 2018-19 Philadelphia Flyers.
This season, the number-one priority must be to get a new goalie. If the Devils don’t, they’ll find themselves in the NHL Draft Lottery once again, and not even Connor Bedard could turn them into a winner. However, desperation has led to mistakes in every industry, and it is especially true in sports.
The Devils need to be smart about their next moves. If they get the wrong goalie, it could mean another lost season. If this goalie costs a ton, it could be even worse. If they spend too much on the free agent, it could hurt as well. Who should this team avoid on the market this offseason?