MacKenzie Blackwood appears to be off the table, per Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald; Leafs running out of options
With goalies vanishing from the market right, left and center over the past few days, it appears as though the Devils will opt to keep Thunder Bay, ON native MacKenzie Blackwood in New Jersey this season to play out the final year of his contract.
The news came down on Friday following comments made by Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald that could only be construed as a vote of confidence that a bounce back year is coming.
-Fitzgerald on Blackwood
Many had originally speculated that since the Devils pulled off a trade to acquire Washington Capitals goaltender Vitek Vanecek on Friday, they'd possibly look to unload Blackwood, who is entering the final year of his deal. Blackwood carries a $2.8M cap hit in 2022-23 and will be a restricted free agent next summer. Perhaps the active goalie market this summer, leading to a severe lack of options, has forced Fitzgerald and the Devils to alter their plans.
It was believed that if Blackwood became available, the Leafs would consider taking a long look at him as a possible reclamation project of sorts. That appears to be all for not now, as the 25-year-old goaltender figures to resume his role as the #1 (or 1A) in New Jersey.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 9 | 1136 ANSWERS MacKenzie Blackwood appears to be off the table, per Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald; Leafs running out of options With the Leafs' options running out, what do you think they do to land a goaltender for 2022-23 and beyond? | ||
| Sign Campbell | 447 | 39.3 % |
| Trade for a starter | 397 | 34.9 % |
| Roll with Woll and Kallgren | 124 | 10.9 % |
| Sign someone unexpected in UFA | 168 | 14.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
