Despite only playing 16 games, the New Jersey Devils’ goaltending remains a major issue. General manager Tom Fitzgerald took a calculated risk by sticking with the tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid and so far it has not worked out. For Vanecek, it looks more like his struggles at the end of last season are still there despite a 7-4-0 record. For Schmid, he is showing more signs that he may need to go back down to the American Hockey League and get some more seasoning. It’s not the only issue the team has been facing, but it’s one that needs a major retool.
So the question becomes clear: What should the Devils do to finally solve their goaltending woes? There are two potential ways. The first is likely for now, hoping that Vanecek and/or Schmid begin to perform better. While neither has shown signs of improvement, it’s a possibility things can turn around. The other is to go out and find an experienced netminder to be paired with Vanecek so Schmid can get some development in the minors. Who would be the potential options for New Jersey? Let’s take a look.
Option 1: Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
During the offseason, the Devils were reportedly looking into some big-name goalies to potentially acquire. The biggest name was Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. Unfortunately for the Devils, with Hellebuyck now signed long-term in Winnipeg, that option is now off the table. However, there is another name that popped up and is still a possibility for the Garden State team and that is Nashville Predators’ Juuse Saros. Despite the interest, it’s uncertain if the netminder will be available for trade based on reports.
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The Predators have gotten off to a slow start this season as they currently post a 7-10-0 record and are five points out of a playoff spot. With a new regime taking over in general manager Barry Trotz and head coach Andrew Brunette — a former Devils’ assistant — it’s possible they may decide to go into full rebuild if they don’t turn around this season. If that’s the case, it’s possible Saros would be made available. He would be a big-time upgrade if the Devils were able to swing a trade for the 28-year-old.
Saros has had a very good NHL career to this point. Through 300 games played, he has posted a 152-104-27 record with a .918 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.60 goals-against average (GAA.) He’s been a Vezina Trophy finalist in each of the past three seasons and is only now in his prime. While his 2023-24 campaign hasn’t looked good, the lack of success is not entirely on him. This would be the ideal trade to make to immediately improve the talent between the pipes for the Devils. He also has one more year left on his current contract at $5 million which would give the Devils more time to let him settle in and convince him to stay long-term.
However, according to Trotz, it appears the Predators intend to re-sign the Finnish goaltender. Whether this happens remains to be seen, especially if the Predators’ season continues to go downhill.
Option 2: John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
Another name the Devils were rumored to potentially go after was Anaheim Ducks’ John Gibson. The biggest concerns for Gibson are for one, his contract length and average annual value (AAV.) He currently has three more years left at an AAV of $6.4 million. Even with the salary cap slated to go up, having that contract on the books would make things tougher on Fitzgerald to keep a healthy cap to sign other guys. The other concern is his performance of late.
His GAA has been 3.00 or higher in three of his past four seasons and has had just one 20-win season in those past four seasons. It’s certainly possible that a big part of the problem is the lack of talent and help on the backend the Ducks have had, but still the stats are a bit worrisome. It’s still early in the season, but Gibson has had an up-and-down start. He’s posted a 4-5-0 record which isn’t great, but has a solid 2.26 GAA and a .927 SV%. Perhaps going to a contender such as the Devils could help Gibson get back to a level he was at earlier in his career.
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There would certainly have to be some cap maneuvering to make a deal like this work. It also should be noted that the Ducks are currently 9-9-0 and just one point out of a playoff spot. This deal may never happen if the Ducks are in the middle of a playoff race by the trade deadline. However, Gibson is still a name to keep and eye on if you’re in New Jersey.
Option 3: Jake Allen, Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens have been carrying three goalies for most of the season and several teams are monitoring that situation to see if the Habs will indeed trade one of them. The one who most likely is to go and has the interest of several is Jake Allen. In my opinion, this feels like the most likely netminder for the Devils to go after in the short-term. Allen has a ton of experience and has always been just a solid guy between the pipes. He has won 186 of his 403-career games with a .909 SV% and 2.72 GAA.
Allen also has one year left after this season at just $3.85 million. Having a solid backup such as Allen behind Vanecek would make it easier for the Devils to send Schmid down to the Utica Comets to develop more and give him more time to truly prepare to be a full-time NHL goalie. I also don’t believe Allen would cost a ton to acquire. The issue will be if the Devils will make the best offer with other teams also need of a goaltenders out there. If the Devils do indeed get him, it would be a very solid addition.
It’s still pretty early in the season, but the Devils should at least look deeper into options that could improve the overall goaltending situation. Fitzgerald needs to make decisions fast before this season starts to spiral out of control.
