Cory Schneider’s time with New Jersey Devils has come to an end; at least for now. Devils announced on Monday that they have placed the veteran goalie and former All-Star on waivers.
The team made the move with the intention to send Schneider to their AHL affiliate Binghamton Devils, as they don’t count on him in the next several weeks. It’s widely expected that the 33-year-old will clear waivers, as he has a $6 million salary-cap hit and contract that runs through 2021/22 NHL season.
“The way the schedule comes now, we didn’t see him getting into a lot of games in the next couple of weeks,” – Devils coach John Hynes explained the team’s decision. “When a player, particularly a goalie, if you’re not going to have an opportunity to play, it’s hard to get the game reps and confidence that you need.”
Devils will replace Schneider with Binghamton goalie Louis Domingue, hoping he can step up if starter MacKenzie Blackwood continues to struggle in his sophomore season. Blackwood has is 7-4-3 this season, posting 2.79 GAA and .904 save percentage.
Cory Schneider, who was the first-round pick for Vancouver Canucks in 2004, joined the Devils in 2013. He was named the team’s starting goalkeeper in 2014 and managed to put together a string of notable performances which resulted in him being named an All-Star in 2016 for the first time in his career.
In recent years, however, Schneider’s form took a drop and he began losing his playing time. This season, he made six appearances and went 0-4-1 while posting a 4.59 GAA and .852 save percentage.
