John Gibson and Connor Hellebuyck in the sights of the New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils pack a lot of punch up front, that’s for sure.

Led by the likes of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier on offense, they also have some very good defensemen like Dougie Hamilton and John Marino.

In addition, they have Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, who should become elite NHL defensemen in the near future.

The only question mark is in front of the net.

Vitek Vanecek isn’t a bad goalie, but I don’t see how he could be a good starting goalie.

As for Akira Schmid, who has surprised many this season with some fine performances, he has only 24 games of NHL experience and 9 more in the playoffs.

The sample size is far too small to determine whether this is just a flash in the pan, much like Andrew Hammond was in the 2014-2015 season.

Funny coincidence, but Andrew Hammond also played 24 games that season.

In short, the Devils may be looking for an elite goaltender to solidify this position.

Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) and John Gibson (Anaheim Ducks) had mentioned they wanted to leave their respective teams.

New Jersey is said to be very interested in acquiring one of these goalies, but doesn’t want to pay the big price either.

https://t.co/vyfxTsKvAh via @BleacherReport

– Spector’s Hockey (@SpectorsHockey) July 22, 2023

The more you think about it, the more it makes sense, because after a second-round elimination by the Carolina Hurricanes, the Devils will want to go further, and that means, among other things, a better goaltending tandem.

After all, the Vegas Golden Knights have just taken top honors without an elite goaltender.

Adin Hill was very good during the spring dance and helped Vegas go all the way. However, it wasn’t all Hill’s doing, but rather the balance of all the trios, the roles each had, and the big defense that helped them a lot.

It makes you wonder if you really need an elite goaltender to aspire to the Stanley Cup.

For the moment, there’s no sign that the Devils will be making a transaction at this level. They should start the season with Vanecek and Schmid.

On the other hand, there’s nothing to prevent an injury, at which point general manager Tom Fitzgerald could pull the trigger.

Breaking news

– What a catch!

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– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 22, 2023

– Don’t miss it!

– The Blue Jays are having a field day with home runs today.

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– And well.

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(Via @maxdomi) pic.twitter.com/SNoytWA7Kw

– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) July 21, 2023