Devils trade first rounder for Cory Schneider

The New Jersey Devils were expected to make a move towards a franchise cornerstone when they missed the playoffs and selected ninth in the first round of the NHL draft.
Lou Lamiorello and company did that,but they did so in an surprising manner as the team traded the pick to the Vancouver Canucks and finally answered the question that has been asked for years-What will the Devils do when Martin Brodeur is retired?

The answer is hand the reins over to Cory Schneider,who the Canucks have wanted to be the starter for the past two seasons,but have been unable to find a trade for the huge contract of Roberto Luongo.
The Canucks apparently did not want to go through another season with a controversy between the pipes and felt the need to make a move.
Since Luongo has shown to be impossible to trade,Vancouver was reluctantly forced to move Schneider.

Cory Schneider fits everything that a Devils fan could want in the successor role for Martin Brodeur-proven (to a degree) with 17 wins in 30 starts last season for a playoff team,reasonably young (27) and willing to share the role this season with Brodeur with a good attitude as Schneider was lauded in Vancouver for a great attitude during their issues with Luongo.

This likely means the end of Johan Hedberg,who would be bought out of the final year of his contract unless he is willing to tutor the young goalies in Albany this year.
That would be an interesting thought to have Hedberg in Albany as a player/coach for Keith Kinkaid and/or Scott Wedgewood,but Hedberg may not want to fill that role and the team might not want to pay the salary for Hedberg to do that either.

All and all,a surprising deal,but one that makes sense to set the Devils up for the days of Post-Brodeur.

Two more notes on the great one as we want to congratulate him on being voted to the cover of NHL14 (Rachel has already staked her claim to that) and for his son,Anthony,being drafted last night by the Devils.
Give the Devils family credit for trading for a seventh round pick (kudos to the Kings for the help) to keep Brodeur in the family and allow Marty to announce the selection as well.
The odds are long against Anthony Brodeur,but if he makes the league,it will be where he belongs-As a Devil.....