New Jersey Devils: 5 Bold Predictions For 2022-23 Season

Prediction #2: Jonathan Bernier Will Play 10 Games

Goaltending will be under the microscope this season for the Devils. After playing seven goalies last season, most of which weren’t good, the Devils need goaltending to go well this year. They kept Mackenzie Blackwood on the roster, and he’s expected to take over as the starter. For insurance, they traded for a re-signed Vitek Vanecek to a deal that actually pays him more than Blackwood.

Yet, the goalie making the most money this season is Jonathan Bernier. He was signed to a two-year deal last season to give the Devils a veteran presence in net. He had a major hip injury pretty early in the season, and he had to have surgery. We have only seen him in training camp scrimmages since.

Reports say that Bernier is expected back sometime around Thanksgiving. If that’s true, the Devils will have a decision to make. With Bernier on the roster, they are going to be at the cap ceiling. With him on long-term injured reserve, they will have some breathing room. They will delay this as long as they possibly can. However, don’t expect him to wait until Christmas to put on the pads.

The Devils will have to figure out how to play with three goalies. Bernier is a veteran, so he will have some kind of winning streak in February. It will get us questioning whether there’s actually a goalie controversy here. He will fall off because the hip is still tender, but he will get in 10 NHL games this season.