Former GM and club President, Lou Lamoriello, may be wheeling and dealing for Toronto now but he was the architect of Devils hockey. The mark he left on this team will live on for seasons to come. In his final years as GM, he left a sour taste in our mouths. Some bad signings and odd draft picks left New Jersey fans scratching their heads. Then two years ago, new ownership decided it was finally time for a change. While the new front office and coaching staff appears to be pushing all the right buttons, the Devils wouldn’t be in a playoff spot right now if not for Lou’s last great acquisition.

At the 2013 NHL Draft, which was at the Prudential Center coincidentally enough, Lou pulled off what could still prove to be a trade for the ages. The Devils traded their 8th overall pick for backup goalie Cory Schneider from Vancouver. The last time Jersey had a pick that high, they picked Adam Larsson at 4th in 2011. There was a lot of good offensive talent in this draft. As Gary Bettman stood at the podium being booed, he silenced the crowd and said, “I think you’re going to want to hear this.” He then announced the trade as the camera shows Lou with a sinister little smirk on his face like he knew exactly what he was doing. Nobody saw it coming. Cory was in total shock when he was told and he appeared, at least visibly, a little upset.

The three campaigns prior for Schneider in Vancouver were tumultuous at times. He fought for starts with one of the games top goalies, Roberto Luongo. In the second full season, Cory posted Canucks records of 1.96 goals against and .937 save percentage, respectively. The starting job seemed to be his for the taking next season. Management was reluctant to trade Luongo and pressure built on the coach and the goalies. Schneider’s numbers dropped off that season and again, the job was up for grabs. Suddenly, he finds himself in New Jersey as the heir apparent to arguably the greatest goalie to ever play the game.

The 2013-14 season was a wild ride for Devils fans. We played in a Stadium Series game that year and while our on ice performance didn’t excite anyone, a major change was set in motion. Martin Brodeur started the game despite Schneider starting 6 of the previous 8. This was done for sentimental reasons. After leading 3-1 in the first, Brodeur allowed 4 goals in the second. He pulled himself at the break and Cory allowed one goal in the third. Schneider was given the majority of the starts down the stretch. Marty would retire in the offseason and eventually sign a deal with the Blues for half a season.

Now it’s Cory Schneider’s team outright; something fans in New Jersey are really enjoying. In his second full season as the No. 1, he’s currently posting a 1.98 goals against and .931 save percentage; good for 1st and 3rd in the league. He has been a brick wall so far and a much needed safety net for a team that is dead last in goals per game (2.19). The Devils are the only team in the Eastern Conference with a negative goal differential in a playoff spot. He gives them a chance to win every game. This is in addition to a solid young defense that is maturing nicely this season. Guys like Blandisi, Boucher, and Palmieri are showing signs of scoring touch and promising play for years to come.

This whole rebuild thing sounds so scary. With a netminder like Cory holding everything in place, it brings the transition closer to seamless. In fact, this is the best the Devils have played since making a run at the Cup in 2011-12. Will Schneider every break Marty’s records? No, he’s already 29 and would need to basically never get hurt and play out of his mind for the next 10 to 12 years. Does having him make the Devils a playoff team? This year, yes and for the foreseeable future as well provided scoring is a top offseason priority. The saying the Devils have adopted this season is ‘New Heart, Same Soul.’ That is the case for the goalie playing in New Jersey beyond all else. Cory seems poised to rise up and take this franchise back to the top of the hockey world.