New Jersey Devils Need To Hire Ian Clark

The last three games in terms of goaltending for the New Jersey Devils have been abysmal. Six goals against the Capitals, eight against the Lightning, and five against the Red Wings equal 19 goals given up in three games. Even if the Devils are just 10 games into this season, this stat is unacceptable.

While most of the criticism seems to form around Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen, there is one guy that people forget to look at: Keefe and Fitzgerald should start replacing goaltender coach Dave Rogalski. Rogalski has been with the Devils for 4 years and has coached eight goaltenders. None of those goaltenders has had a career season in the NHL with the Devils. Now that we seem to have a better goalie than we had last year in Jacob Markstrom, and he is still not where the Devils want him to be, enough is enough, and it’s time to make a change.

Now Elliotte Friedman has linked the Devils to former Vancouver Canucks goalie coach Ian Clark. Clark has been with the Canucks from 2019-2023. However, he is now in a new position, taking over as the director of goaltending, and he has held that position for over a year. Clark was the former goalie coach for the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2011-2019. Looking over the goaltenders he has worked with, he has a perfect resume, including Stanley Cup Champion Sergei Bobrovsky and Thatcher Demko, and even according to this Canucks Army article, he was one of the two coaches who helped develop current New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin during his SKA tenure.

Clark also worked with Markstrom during his time in Vancouver. Considering that resume is a big issue that may hurt the hiring. Clark has been experiencing health issues. As he is now 58, Clark’s body can’t go through the daily coaching of goalies on the ice. However, that doesn’t mean he can still coach the goalies. If the Devils can find a way to manage around it, this hiring could work out well. It’s time for the Devils to make a change very soon if Markstrom and Allen keep giving up 4-5 goals per game, and Clark would be the hire they need to fix this goalie problem.