Cory Schneider is Elite

In early November, I wrote an article entitled "Is Cory Schneider Holding the Devils Back?"

Yup, that's right folks. You don't get to write for ILWT just by being good looking, you gotta have genuine journalistic anticipation.

But in all seriousness ... I'm gorgeous.

But actually in all seriousness, I didn't write that article based on nothing. I had legitimate statistics that showed how Schneider was playing goalie the right way to lose games. And if I remember right, he gave up a "yuck" goal almost once a game early in the year. My how time's have changed:

Cory Schneider's Sv% on Low Danger shots in 2015: 100%

You read that right. Since the calendar turned, Cory is an absurd 137 for 137 in low danger shots. He has become the definition of reliable in the new year. The eye-test should back up these claims as it seems as though Cory is getting bombarded game after game since the coach change and he is making sound stop after sound stop.

Cory Schneider is on pace for 70 Games Played and a .924 Save Percentage.

Those numbers have been put up twice in the history of hockey. Roberto Luongo did it in 2003-2004. That year, Luongo registered the most Point Shares ever for a goalie and the 3rd most for any PLAYER. His GAA was 2.43 compared to Schneider's 2.27. Yes Schneider is on pace to outperform one of the greatest goaltending seasons ever.

The other time it was accomplished was a guy named Dominik Hasek in 1997-98. This was the 2nd most point shares ever registered by a goalie and he also won the Vezina and the Hart. His GAA was a pristine 2.09. That season seems out of reach but regardless, Cory Schneider is on pace to do something only done in arguably the 2 greatest seasons by a hockey goalie. That's something worth being proud of.

Side note: No, technically Marty never did this ... he got reaallllllly close like 3 times though.

Cory Schneider's Adjusted Sv% this season is 4th in the NHL

WAR on Ice adjusts save percentage for crude shot quality (danger-zone based). In 2015 Schneider is behind only Price and for the season he is behind Price, Rinne, and Steve Mason. Price and Rinne are generally considered the frontrunners for the Vezina and possibly the Hart trophies. Mason is ...not.

Cory Schneider has a 65.3% Quality Start Percentage

In a stat developed by Rob Vollmam, QS% marks how often a goalie give a team a reasonable chance to win. 53% is the leage average and Schneider is well above that. He trails only Rinne, Price, Crawford and Lunqvist among NHL starters. That is good company to be in.

Summary

Cory Schneider is having a season that is historic in some aspects and elite in other aspects. If this team wasn't so bad, and maybe if Rinne wasn't playing absolutely out of his mind, then Schneider would be having a Vezina-worthy year. He has been nothing short of elite since he has been here and I think that his play should go a long way towards quelling some of the unrest that exists in the fandom about how long a rebuild will take. We have what is arguably the most difficult puzzle piece to find locked up for the next 7 years. That helps me sleep at night.

LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS BELOW .... do it.