Lou Lamoriello usually isn't one to extend contracts of players a year before they hit free agency, but it appears he's willing to make an exception.
Talks between Cory Schneider's camp and the Devils are well underway, and two sides are close to reaching a contract extension that will keep the team's new franchise goaltender in New Jersey long-term.
Via Tom Gulitti's Fire and Ice blog: “It’s a work in progress and we’re getting closer and closer,… Lamoriello said. “Hopefully, we’ll have that done in the very near future.…
With Lamoriello saying he'd like to give Keith Kinkaid a chance to be the team's new backup and the team bringing back Scott Clemmensen as insurance, it's crystal clear that Martin Brodeur won't be back.
Schneider is the guy going forward and at 28 he has plenty of good years left - goalies tend to age better than other players - so he figures to be paid handsomely on a long-term deal.
Typically I don't like signing goaltenders long-term - the most I'd give is five years - but in order to get this done the Devils might have to go a little longer.
Since Schneider entered the league only Tuukka Rask has a higher save percentage, so Schneider figures to be in for a big raise from his current salary of $4 million. I'm guessing his next contract will be worth about $6 million per.
The good news for New Jersey is that the raise will be coming from them, and that they'll have one of the league's best goaltenders signed for the foreseeable future.
Devils posts
Jackets posts
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: NHLToddCordell@Gmail.com