Cory Schneider is tired of playing second fiddle. Heading into the final year of his current three-year, $12 million contract, Schneider wants some assurance that he’ll be the number one goaltender. As seen on NJ.com, Schneider outlined that his number one classification would mean starting about 60 games per season.
Contrary to popular belief, Schneider signing a new deal with New Jersey isn’t directly connected to Martin Brodeur’s status with the club. Broder could return and Schneider may stick around – assuming he’s given the bulk of the starts over the veteran netminder.
Schneider commented on the situation:
“It’s a discussion about if they want me to be the guy going forward, we have to figure out that part of it. It’s not directly centered around Marty. We’ll probably find out in a few weeks what is going to happen.”
There’s really no reason to suspect the Devils would pursue a new option over Schneider, but you can’t blame him for being hesitant and stating his intentions. Most fans believed Schneider would be the team’s top option when they brought him in with a trade during the 2013 NHL Draft, but that hasn’t been the case.
Schneider deserves more games. Will the Devils be the one to finally name him a starter?