Prior to the 2014-15 season, Cory Schneider had never played in more than 45 games in an NHL season.
He spent parts of five seasons behind Roberto Luongo in Vancouver, split time with Martin Brodeur during his first year with the Devils and never had the opportunity to establish himself as the go-to guy before last year, when he played in 69 games.
Now he wants more.
“Honestly, I was more tired to start the year than to end the year,” Schneider told Sportsnet. “The first 20 games I played, I was getting used to playing that much. There were some games I felt tired, but the more played, the better I felt. It was a great experience. Obviously I would’ve wanted to win more games and had more success, but there’s nothing better than just jumping into it, knowing you’re going to play every night.”
The 29-year-old opened last season by playing in the team’s first 20 games.
When asked how many games he wanted to play this season, Schneider answered: “eighty-two.”
Behind Schneider is Keith Kinkaid, a 26-year-old backup goaltender with just 20 NHL apperances under his belt.
So while 82 games is probably unrealistic, Schneider should continue to see plenty of action going forward.