Making the biggest wave at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the New Jersey Devils pulled off a shocker: completing a trade for Vancouver Canucks goalie, Cory Schneider.This marks the end of the long-lasting goalie controversy between Roberto Luongo and Schneider, but it now evolves into the story of a successor to the winningest goalie in NHL history, Martin Brodeur.
Schneider, the starting goalie for Vancouver in the lockout shortened 2012-13 season, went 17-9 with a 2.11 GAA and .927 SV%. He is a lifetime 55-26, mostly as the backup for the embattled Luongo.
The Canucks have tried over the past two years to part with their heavily paid netminder, only to change course and deal Schneider during the draft today. They received the ninth overall pick and took 18-year-old London Knights forward Bo Horvat of the Ontario Hockey League.
But the important news for the future lay at the Devils feet. As the trade was announced by the routinely booed, Gary Bettman, the Prudential Center let out a loud mixture of mostly cheers for the trade -- seen as a steal for New Jersey. Many teams, including the Edmonton Oilers, had presented a bigger package to the Canucks, only to be rebuffed, seemingly for divisional reasons.
The cheers were for the acquisition, and later for the manner in which general manager Lou Lamoriello was able to pull it off. Anyone hesitant to cheer, though, must have realized what it meant. Their franchise player, whose 669 wins and 121 shutouts are league records, is now entering the end of his career.
Martin Brodeur, who brought three championships to Jersey over his career, is entering the final year of his deal and the likely end to his historic career. With this move, the Devils insured that their future at goalie beyond him was secure.
While the NHL Draft is usually a start of eras for teams, the New Jersey Devils are now entering the end of one of the most successful in league history.
