Blackwood Excited About Devils Additions I FEATURE

Typically, Mackenzie Blackwood has the best seat in the house. The action of a game coming flying at him, and sometimes with a breath of fresh air, the play going the other way.
This summer, Blackwood sat in the same seat as everyone else: watching with excitement some transformative moves for the franchise he defends every night.
He saw the club trade for defenseman Ryan Graves, draft blueliner Luke Hughes and then sign free agents Dougie Hamilton, yet another defenseman, and his newest goaltending partner Jonathan Bernier.
And Blackwood had to give credit to his general manager.
"Tom (Fitzgerald) has done a great job," Blackwood said. "It's exciting to see the steps our team can make this year."

One of those steps was providing Blackwood the support he needs in goal with the addition of Bernier. Of course, the club tried last year to help lighten his load with the signing of Corey Crawford, but Crawford elected to retire from the game, prior to the start of the season. But - assuming Bernier doesn't retire in the next two months - Blackwood may finally have a cohort to help mentor and push him to be better.
"I've watched (Bernier) play for a while. He's a really talented goalie," Blackwood said. "He had a great year last year in Detroit. I've heard nothing but great things about him. I'm excited to get to know him and meet him when he comes here to training camp."
Naturally, only one goalie can play at a time, so when it comes to supporting a goaltender, nothing beats adding a top-tier defenseman. Enter Hamilton, who was the biggest prize of free agency, and signed a seven-year, $63-million deal with New Jersey.
"It's going to be great. He's been a top defenseman in the league for a while," Blackwood said. "It's something that I think really compliments our team in a great way."
Part of complimenting the team is the notion that these moves not only make the Devils better, but also helps push the progression of the franchise forward. And that's not lost on Mackenzie Blackwood.
"I think a huge thing for us is getting out of that mindset that we're growing and building," he said. "Go from 'we're young and growing' to now 'we're competing, now we're fighting for a playoff spot'. Just building. Everyone in that room is sick of not winning. We're going to be hungry to take that next step and put some wins on our belt and have a great year."
He also knows that he will play a big role in that, with the forward motion of the franchise dependent upon his own play in net. Which is why Blackwood, who remained in Jersey for much of the summer, has focused on rehabbing his body so that he can be at peak performance when the puck drops Oct. 15.
"I'm just trying to get into the best shape that I can on and off the ice," he said, "and taking care of those things that were bothering me last year, making it so that I can stay healthy. Continue to grow my game, sharpen up and hopefully be one of the better goalies in the league. That's the goal of mine."
In fact, Blackwood's entire summer was spent focusing on that goal. Aside from a two-week trip he took with a friend following the conclusion of the season, he has spent his time rehabbing some nagging, small injuries - aside from the occasional golf outing.
"Not a ton of (summer) highlights. I've just been focused on doing what I need to do to get ready for next year," he said. "I golfed a little bit. I'm trying to go fishing here and there. It's been a lowkey summer. I'm just trying to focus on what I can do to get ready for next year.
"Training around some of my things I wanted to improve on and some of my little nagging things that have been kind of been bothering me. But it's been good. I'm feeling really good and I'm excited to be going back into the next season a little bit better."
Being able to rehab at the Devils facility and with Devils' trainers is part of the reason he stayed in the city this offseason. But it also gave him a new perspective on his adopted state. Blackwood is from Thunder Bay, Ontario, where he has spent his summers in the past. This summer, he experienced what New Jersey had to offer, without the all-consuming practice and game schedule of an NHL season.
"It's been really cool. I've never spent the summer (in Jersey)," he admitted. "It's a different aspect of the weather, a different mindset here in the summer. You're not in game mode. You're training so it's a little more relaxed. I enjoyed it."
And as these summer months draw to a close, the changing weather means that the NHL season is fast approaching on the horizon.
As Blackwood added: "I've enjoyed my summer so far and I'm looking forward to when the seasons change a little bit."
Catherine Bogart and Amanda Stein contributed to this report.