The New Jersey Devils have found their starting goaltender. They acquired Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. In return, the Flames get defenseman Kevin Bahl and the Devils’ 2025 first-round pick.
It has been known for months that Markstrom was on the trade market. His name was constantly linked to the Devils, a natural association knowing how much the organization struggled in net last season. In desperation, general manager Tom Fitzgerald acquired veterans Jake Allen and Kaapo Kahkonen in March to give youngsters Akira Schmidt and Nico Daws some breathing room.
It’s ultimately an experienced duo that will defend the Devils’ net in the fall, with Markstrom and Allen, who will both be 34 years old at training camp.
The Swede has had his share of ups and downs in four years in Calgary. Candidate for the Vezina Trophy in 2021-2022 (goals against average of 2.22 and efficiency rate of .922), he struggled the following season seeing his save rate drop to .892.
He regained his splendor in 2023-2024, but in a context where the club in front of him imploded. Management liquidated players – Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov – beginning an obvious rebuild. Markstrom’s departure is, in this sense, the logical continuation of the process.
In Bahl, the Flames got their hands on a giant defender (6’6” and 230 lbs), who was however slow to establish himself in the NHL. In New Jersey, he was stuck behind young prodigies like Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec and veterans like Dougie Hamilton, John Marino and Jonas Siegenthaler. He turns 24 next week.
However, general manager Craig Conroy had “identified him as a priority player,” the Flames wrote in a press release.
As for the 2025 first-round pick, while he’s “protected” from the top 10, it could become quite distant if, as expected, the Devils find themselves among the best teams in the NFL. ‘Next season, now that their problem is solved in net.
In the deal, the Flames also keep just over 30% of the goaltender’s salary. His impact on the Devils payroll will therefore only be $4.125 million over the next two seasons.