What's Different in NHL Free Agency This Season? Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTg1MDUwOTQ2MzA5MjY4ODI1/usatsi_15936632.jpg] The goaltending carousel doesn't look like it's poised to slow down any time soon. The New Jersey Devils took part in this league-wide game of musical chairs on Wednesday afternoon, signing Jonathan Bernier to a two-year deal worth an average annual value of $4.125 million. Bernier is the rare player who's thrived in Detroit over the past few seasons, somehow putting up an impressive .914 save percentage in 2021 behind a truly dreadful Red Wings lineup. The 32-year-old chose not to let his role on a basement dweller deter him, however, mustering a dazzling 4.7 goals saved above average last season that clearly paints the picture of a goaltender who gave his team a chance to win night after night. Now joining New Jersey, Bernier won't get much of an upgrade in the defensive department in his new digs. But that can be managed. More importantly, this will mark the first time in years that Bernier will play meaningful games for a team with playoff aspirations. If he can thrive in a dumpster fire -- albeit a controlled one, under Steve Yzerman -- who knows what he can do with a sense of stability. Likely assuming the role of quality understudy for Mackenzie Blackwood, Bernier lands in perhaps the ideal spot for where he is in his NHL career. And while the price is a tad bit high, New Jersey's $27 million in cap space at the moment allows them to overpay for improvements on short-term deals.
