For parts of three decades, the New Jersey Devils were set in goal with Martin Brodeur. He is the NHL’s all-time leader in games, wins, and shutouts, and is considered to be one of the greatest who ever lived.
Following Brodeur was Cory Schneider, who was incredible for a couple of years, but the team around him was mostly lousy and didn’t take advantage of his ability. Following the decline of Schneider, the Devils haven’t been able to lock it down since.
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Mackenzie Blackwood looked like he could have been that guy, but injuries forced him to bounce around before he finally got healthy with the Colorado Avalanche.
The Devils tried to bring in a veteran with Jacob Markstrom, but he didn’t work out well either. Now, after trading him to the Florida Panthers, they are heading down a path of a goalie rotation in 2026-27.
It isn’t likely what Sunny Mehta really wants to do in net, but Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich are all under contract and expecting to play.
Mehta did make some moves this off-season that suggest he wants them to get back to their winning ways, which makes sense because they have multiple great young players in their prime.
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If he wants to make the goaltending situation less of a gamble, there are two out there who have been difference makers in the past.
First, you have Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who has been on the trade block since the beginning of the off-season.
Hellebuyck, to put it truthfully, has been one of the best goalies in NHL history. Ahead of backstopping Team USA to its first Olympic Gold Medal in 46 years in February, he won the Vezina Trophy 3 times and even has a Hart Trophy as league MVP.
If you put Hellebuyck on this Devils team, their odds to win the division and make a deep run in the playoffs will skyrocket. It would take a lot to make a trade like this, but a goalie like him is worth it all.
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It seems like the Jets are for sure going to deal him before training camp begins, but a lot of teams are interested in his talents.
There is also St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington. There is some risk in acquiring him, as he is older and definitely not as good as Hellebuyck, but he’d be an upgrade over what New Jersey currently has.
There is also the idea that playing on a winning team again revitalizes him. When he was playing for Team Canada at the Olympics as their main starter, he was as good as he needed to be. It took that brilliant Jack Hughes goal in overtime to beat him.
Binnington’s performance at the Olympics also came one year after winning the 4-Nations Face-Off with Canada one year prior. His Stanley Cup-winning experience (2019 with the Blues) helped him in that tournament, and it would certainly help him if he were to be traded to the New Jersey Devils.
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If the Devils let their current situation roll into the season and it doesn’t work out, they may need to circle back and evaluate the position. If these two are off the board by then, they will need to pivot, so why not try now?
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