Devils getting closer to extension with Schneider; Lamoriello hopes it’s done in “very near future”

July 3, 2014 - Fire & Ice - View Full Article
Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello sounded very optimistic today that he will soon be able to lock up goaltender Cory Schneider to a contract extension. Schneider, 28, would be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

“It’s a work and progress and we’re getting closer and closer,” Lamoriello said. “Hopefully, we’ll have that done in the very near future.”

The Devils have fully committed to Schneider as their No. 1 goaltender going forward now with Martin Brodeur not planning to return and rookie Keith Kinkaid and Scott Clemmensen (signed Tuesday to a one-year, two-way deal) set up to compete for the backup job in training camp.

In addition to Schenider, another player the Devils would like to get signed to an extension this summer is Andy Greene, who has been their top defenseman the last two seasons and is less than a year away now from becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Lamoriello has not reached out to Greene and his agent, Dan Plante, but said he plans to do so this summer.

“We will be talking to Andy,” Lamoriello said. “Right now, we’re letting Andy settle in. He’s getting married. We will definitely do our best to keep Andy, by all means.”

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While the Devils close in on locking up Schneider, they are ready to give Kinkaid a chance to win the backup job behind Schneider. As mentioned in the previous post, they re-signed Kinkaid, a restricted free agent, today to a one-year, two-way deal ($600,000 NHL salary and $105,000 AHL salary).

Read more about that here: http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/fireice/comments/devils_re-sign_goatlenders_keith_kinkaid_and_maxime_clermont/

Lamoriello believes Kinkaid is ready for this opportunity.


Devils close to contract extension for Cory Schneider; sign Keith Kinkaid

July 3, 2014 - The Star Ledger - View Full Article

Minor league goalie Maxime Clermont also signed

Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello said he is still looking into one or two possible moves as free agent signings taper off and confirmed that he is moving closer to signing goaltender Cory Schneider to a contract extension.

While the Devils have finalized new contracts for potential backup goalie Keith Kinkaid ($600,000 NHL salary, $105,000 AHL) and minor leaguer Maxime Clermont ($605,000 NHL, $50,000 minor league), Schneider has not yet agreed to an extension behind the 2014-15 season.

“Not yet,” Lamoriello said, “but I feel very comfortable that this is something we’ll get done in the very near future. We’ve had ongoing conversations.”

As far as other potential moves, Lamoriello said that could be signings or a trade.

“It’s a possibility,” he said. ““We certainly would like to do one or two more things. Nothing has happened, but we are looking into a couple of things.”

Kinkaid, who figures too battle veteran Scott Clemmensen to be Schneider's backup this season, was 24-13-5 in 43 games for Albany (AHL) last season. He had a 2.29 goals-against average and .912 save percentage with four shutouts.

In four AHL playoff games Kinkaid was 1-3 with a 2.26 GAA and .932 save percentage.

Clermont, the Devils' sixth-round draft pick in 2010 (174th overall), was 0-1-0 in two appearances for Albany (AHL) last season with a 2.00 GAA. In 10 games for Orlando (ECHL) he was 5-3-1 with a 3.35 GAA. Clermont made two playoff appearances for Orlando and was 1-2 with a 2.03 GAA.

Schneider has one season remaining on his contract at $4.5 million.