Goaltending was a significant concern this time a year ago for the New Jersey Devils. But after acquiring Vitek Vanecek at the 2022 draft, that seems to be less of an issue for general manager Tom Fitzgerald this summer. It may be even less so after the emergence of Akira Schmid, who finished 2022-23 with a .921 save percentage (SV%) in 27 NHL games between the regular season and playoffs.
Still, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Devils add a goalie this summer. Schmid isn’t waivers eligible, and with Nico Daws out until December after having hip surgery, one option could be to have Schmid start next season in the AHL with the Utica Comets. Plus, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Fitzgerald wanted more experience in net. Let’s look at some viable free-agent options in a surprisingly decent class.
Laurent Brossoit
- 2022-23 Counting Totals: 11 games played, 10 starts, .927 SV%
- Evolving-Hockey Contract Projection: 2 years, $1.591 million cap hit
After having hip surgery a year ago, it took a while for Laurent Brossoit to find his way back to the NHL with the Vegas Golden Knights. He spent most of the season with their AHL affiliate — the Henderson Silver Knights — where he had a .909 SV% in 23 games played. But when injuries mounted for the Golden Knights, he got an opportunity to show he could still play in the NHL.
Though it was in a small sample size of 11 games, Brossoit posted a .927 SV% while stopping 5.9 goals above expected in the regular season. He even went into the playoffs as the Golden Knights’ starter and helped them advance past the Winnipeg Jets in Round 1 before getting injured against the Edmonton Oilers in Round 2.
If the Devils sign Brossoit, it wouldn’t be your traditional goalie tandem. He’s a quality backup when healthy, but given his recent injuries, it’d be reasonable to expect a three-goalie rotation with Schmid. That’d be much like the situation the Devils had this season when Vanecek, Schmid and Mackenzie Blackwood got regular playing time with the Devils due to Blackwood’s injury woes. If Fitzgerald is OK with a three-goalie rotation again, that makes Brossoit an option since he should be quite affordable as a UFA.
Adin Hill
- 2022-23 counting totals: 27 games played, 25 starts, .915 SV%
- Evolving-Hockey Contract Projection: 2 years, $2.995 million cap hit
One of the many goaltenders the Golden Knights used this season, Adin Hill would end up leading the team to a Stanley Cup championship after Brossoit went down with his injury. He finished the playoffs with a .932 SV% in 16 appearances while saving 7.7 goals above expected.
Though Hill went on a heater during the playoffs, it’s not like his performance came out of nowhere. He had a solid regular season with the Golden Knights, saving 0.9 goals above expected. Like Brossoit, he’s been a dependable 1B when healthy, as he has a career SV% of .910 in 101 regular-season appearances. The question is, can he maintain his health moving forward?
At 27 years old, Hill would be a better fit for the Devils than his counterpart in Brossoit. He has more upside when on his game, and even though he probably won’t put up his playoff numbers in the regular season, he’s still an above-league-average netminder. His contract projection of two years at $2.995 million annually should fit into the Devils’ plans. But given his playoff performance, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he got a bit more term and dollars, something that’d likely keep Fitzgerald and the Devils away.
Frederik Andersen
- 2022-23 Counting Totals: 34 games, 33 starts, .903 SV%
- Evolving-Hockey Contract Projection: 2 years, $4.154 million cap hit
After some injury-riddled seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Frederik Andersen found his game with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021-22. He finished with a .922 SV% and saved 27.8 goals above expected in 52 games and 51 starts. He should’ve been a Vezina nominee over Jacob Markstrom, but that’s a topic for another day.
This season, Andersen took a bit of a step back, partly due to injuries again. He finished the regular season with a .903 SV% and had a goals above expected of minus-3.5. But he found his game in the playoffs after taking over for Antti Raanta in Round 1, totaling a .927 SV% in nine starts before the Hurricanes fell to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.
When Andersen is on his game, he can be one of the best goaltenders in the league. The question with him, which has always been the case, is injuries. The 33-year-old has a lengthy injury history at this point, and the Devils might have a bit of PTSD signing a goalie approaching his mid-30s who has had trouble staying healthy, especially for a cap hit above $4 million.
On the other hand, perhaps those concerns keep his cap hit below $4 million. He’d be a solid partner for Vanecek, and the Devils would have Schmid ready to go in case Andersen gets hurt, the kind of goaltending depth they didn’t have in the past. Plus, he has plenty of playoff experience (62 games) and a .917 SV% in the postseason, which should be another reason to consider him.
Antti Raanta
- 2022-23 counting totals: 27 games, 26 starts, .910 SV%
- Evolving-Hockey Contract Projection: 3 years, $3.265 million cap hit
With Pyotr Kochetkov signed through 2026-27 at a reasonable $2 million cap hit and the Hurricanes possibly seeking a different look in net, both Raanta and Andersen may be playing elsewhere in 2023-24.
Related: Devils News & Rumors: Meier, Sharangovich & Mercer
Raanta has been a solid 1B in his time with the Hurricanes, posting a .911 SV% across 55 games while saving five goals above expected. He performed well this season, with his SV% coming in well above the .899 league average. He was solid in the playoffs, posting a .909 SV% in six starts before Andersen took over as the team’s 1A in their series against the Islanders. Though he’s only appeared in 24 playoff games for his career, 19 of those have come in the last two seasons.
Raanta has consistently been a solid 1B throughout his career, not just with the Hurricanes. The key for the Devils signing him could be term. If he gets his projection of three years, it likely won’t come in New Jersey, especially given his injury history. But if there’s a path to a two-year deal, a tandem of Raanta and Vanecek with Schmid as the third option, at worst, might be doable.
Anthony Stolarz
- 2022-23 Counting Totals: 19 games, 12 starts, .897 SV%
- Evolving-Hockey Contract Projection: 2 years, $1.720 million cap hit
On the surface, Anthony Stolarz’s numbers don’t look great. He made only 12 starts and posted a .897 SV% this past season. But when peeking under the hood, he was actually the Anaheim Ducks’ best goaltender. He finished stopping 0.4 goals above expected, so he essentially made the saves he was supposed to make.
Before the 2022-23 season, Stolarz was a solid 1B goaltender and was the better of the Ducks’ tandem between him and John Gibson. He finished the 2021-22 campaign with a .917 SV% and had a goals above expected of minus-1.0 across 28 games. He’s a New Jersey native and could be one of the more affordable 1B options in free agency.
Say the Devils add a forward or two to their lineup over the next couple of weeks, plus some defensive depth, Stolarz signing for under $2 million per year could give the organization good value in free agency. That could prove important after re-signing Jesper Bratt and eventually Timo Meier to pricey extensions. The Devils tend to like bigger goaltenders, and Stolarz would add that in net at 6-foot-6, 243 pounds. His underlying numbers suggest he’ll bounce back, so targeting him makes sense, especially if they want a cost-effective option alongside Vanecek.
Semyon Varlamov
- 2022-23 Counting Totals: 23 games, 22 starts, .913 SV%
- Evolving-Hockey Contract Projection: 2 years, $2.374 million cap hit
The last of the UFA goalies for this post, Semyon Varlamov has long been one of the NHL’s better goaltenders. Whether it was as a pure starter, a 1A or his current 1B role to Ilya Sorokin with the Islanders, he’s always performed well. He finished this season with a .913 SV% and stopped 3.5 goals above expected.
It was a typical Varlamov season, as he’s posted an SV% of .909 or higher in five straight years. Over the last three years, he’s totaled a combined SV% of .918. His workload has decreased, with Sorokin being a top-3 netminder in the NHL, but that’s not the worst thing in the world. With Vanecek capable of starting 40-50 games, plus Schmid being option No. 3, the Devils wouldn’t need Varlamov to make more than 30 starts.
Admittedly, I was a bit surprised to see Varlamov’s contract projection. If the Devils can get him on a two-year deal below $2.5 million per year, he’s a viable option. Even at 35 years old, he’s not showing any signs of decline. He has 60 games of playoff experience, 34 of which have come with the Islanders, something the Devils and Fitzgerald might value in adding a netminder this summer, given Vanecek’s playoff struggles and the general lack of playoff experience in net.
Adding a Free-Agent Goalie Makes the Most Sense
A few weeks ago, I would’ve bet on the Devils heading into the 2023-24 season with Vanecek and Schmid as their tandem. But with Daws’ surgery, that might change plans a bit. I’d be surprised if they traded for someone like Connor Hellebuyck or Gibson, who have appeared on the top 10 of trade boards this offseason and could cause salary cap issues after the team re-signs Meier.
But adding an experienced netminder on a short-term deal through free agency makes sense. It improves the Devils’ goaltending depth with Daws out until December, and they’ll have Schmid ready at a moment’s notice if they need him in the NHL. With Vanecek a question mark in the playoffs and Schmid being only 23 years old with limited playoff appearances, adding someone with plenty of postseason experience could prove a difference-maker come next April.
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