They seem to be few and far between, but the Boston Globe's Fluto Shinzawa is among the group that believes the Devils will be a playoff team in 2014-15.
While offering praise to Cory Schneider, who has a .928SV% since 2010, Shinzawa noted Schneider being the team's undisputed No. 1 is one of the reasons New Jersey will return to the post-season for the 2nd time in five years.
This has been a unique summer for Schneider. For the first time in his NHL career, the Marblehead native is entering a season as the No. 1 goalie. It’s one of the major reasons why the Devils will be back in the playoffs in 2014-15.
I currently have the Devils penciled in as a Wild Card team, and Schneider being a mainstay between the pipes is a big reason why.
Shinzawa obviously agrees.
In 45 games last year, Schneider went 16-15-12 with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. But it was an uncomfortable situation. In tribute to the game’s best goalie, the Devils gave Brodeur (19-14-6, 2.51 GAA, .901 save percentage) too many starts. Brodeur’s inconsistency and New Jersey’s shootout ineptitude (0 for 13) were two primary reasons why the Devils, a top-five possession team, finished in 10th place in the East.
That quote, in particular, is one I was happy to read and something I've really tried to hammer down throughout the summer.
Again, Schneider has a .928SV% since 2010 and a .925SV% throughout his career. Even if he dipped down to, say, .917 next season while eating a big chunk of the starts it'd be an upgrade over his .921SV% coupled with Martin Brodeur's .901SV% in almost 40 starts. That alone will get the Devils a few more wins.
Factor in they make the playoffs last season if they win five of their 13 shootouts - they went 0-13 while scoring just four times - and there's reason to be optimistic. That won't happen again.
With their shootout fortunes set to inevitably increase and the team having one of the league's best goaltenders mending their crease on a nightly basis, it's not far fetched to say they'll be a playoff team in 2014-15.
Devils posts
Jackets posts
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: NHLToddCordell@Gmail.com