The worst-kept secret in hockey is that the New Jersey Devils are looking for an elite goaltender. New Jersey has a crop of young prospects who have shown potential but are years away from reaching the NHL. The Calgary Flames’ Jacob Markstrom is the best fit among the netminders who are rumored to be available.
Related: Lack of Urgency From Devils Front Office Dims Playoffs Hope
While Markstrom could be a high-reward option, he might also be a risk. His contract will pay him $6 million over the next two seasons beyond this one, and he turned 34 a little over a month ago. While the prospect of paying a 36-year-old goaltender $6 million in 2026 is a potential red flag, Markstrom’s age alone should not stop general manager Tom Fitzgerald from moving treasured assets to acquire him.
Markstrom Is the Best Fit
The Devils have an affinity for goalies with size, and Markstrom fits the bill at 6-foot-6, which is similar to rookies Nico Daws and Akira Schmid and top prospect Tyler Brennan. He also has a history of success and durability. Two years ago, he was the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy, and throughout the last four non-COVID-shortened seasons, he has started no less than 59 games. After a difficult season in 2022-23 that saw his save percentage (SV%) dip under .900 for the first time in his career as a starter, he has returned with a vengeance, posting Vezina-caliber numbers, including a .914 SV% and 2.56 goals-against average (GAA). According to Money Puck, he is third in the NHL with nearly 19 goals saved above expected, putting him in elite company.
Last season, everything that could go wrong for the Flames did, and Markstrom became a victim of the bad vibes that surrounded the team and led to a significant overhaul. This season, with trade rumors swirling and the team off to a rocky start, he returned to form, keeping the Flames in the playoff hunt until their offense, led by former Devils Yegor Sharangovich and Blake Coleman, found its footing.
Any questions about Markstrom’s play last season have been answered in 2023-24 despite the many distractions. Among goalies with at least ten starts, he leads the NHL in high-danger save percentage at .864 (Natural Stat Trick). Compared to the next most talked about goalie trade candidate, Nashville Predator Juuse Saros, Markstrom wins every comparison except for age (34-28) and cap hit ($6 million – $5 million). Markstrom’s success is not a product of great defending as the Flames allow 3.21 expected goals/60, almost a half goal more than the Predators, yet Markstrom is only allowing 2.56 GAA, while Saros is at 2.90. The Flames also allow more high-danger chances per 60 than the Predators, and Markstrom is stopping them at a higher percentage.
One potential knock against Markstrom is his lack of playoff experience, with only two postseasons under his belt as a starter. His play in those playoffs should quiet any concerns. In 26 playoff games, he has 13 wins, a .911 SV%, and a 2.90 GAA, with quality starts 65% of the time. Of the goaltenders available, he is the best fit for New Jersey’s style of play and young defensive unit.
Goaltenders: 35 Is the new 30
The main objection to spending significant assets to acquire Markstrom is that he is 34 and under contract until he is 36, heightening the risk and eliminating future flexibility. However, after consideration, a goalie aged 34 should not scare New Jersey from making a trade. Netminders have been known to play well into their late 30s. This season, five of the top ten goalies in goals saved above expected are over 30. Last season, a 34-year-old goaltender led a scrappy team from out of the playoffs in February to the Stanley Cup Final. Markstrom has not been injury-prone, nor does he have difficulty shouldering a large workload.
Throughout Fitzgerald’s tenure as general manager, the Devils have invested significant draft capital in the goaltender position. With the emergence of Daws and Schmid as potential bonafide NHLers and Brennan’s trajectory, a 34-year-old netminder who can shoulder the load now and provide mentorship to younger players as they prepare to take over the crease is ideal.
With just over a week until the trade deadline, Fitzgerald will face difficult questions that will go a long way to determining the franchise’s future. Obtaining a goalie of Markstrom’s caliber is never cheap. The Devils have the assets and cap space necessary to acquire him, and since an elite goalie is the final major piece to the team’s championship puzzle, it is incumbent upon them to solve that problem sooner rather than later. Whether now or in the offseason, Markstrom is the right fit, and neither his contract term nor his age should dissuade the Devils from making a deal.