NHL insider and co-host of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman, took to his podcast to discuss the possibility of the Toronto Maple Leafs being interested in Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom.
Friedman had this to say about it: “A couple of other teams I wonder about there, too, anybody looking for a goalie, but a couple of teams I wonder about Toronto, and I know deals with Toronto and Calgary are kind of complicated, but the GM in Toronto is the guy who signed Markstrom in Calgary, and, just on paper, a Markstrom-[Joseph] Woll combination is a pretty good combination. I look at that, and I say, ‘I could see why a team like Toronto would be interested in that, potentially.”
Why Does Markstrom Make Sense?
The combination of Woll and Markstrom would intrigue Maple Leafs fans if the trade speculation were true. The Maple Leafs need a starting goalie who they can rely on to win games when the team struggles defensively. In the past, they have had a goalie carousel that still hasn’t been solved. Between Frederik Andersen, Jack Campbell, Ilya Samsonov, and now Woll, they haven’t been able to find a starter that can take hold of the crease and find success.
That is where Markstrom makes sense for the Maple Leafs; they could benefit from having a big-named goalie who can steal games and also handle the pressure that comes with a Canadian market. Although Markstrom has seemed to struggle the last two seasons with the Flames, he is a proven goalie with elite-level talent who will be the first goalie since Andersen to be a household-name starter in the Auston Matthews era.
Last season, Markstrom had a 23-23-2 record along with a 2.78 goals-against average (GAA) and a .905 save percentage (SV%). If he played on a team that struggled less defensively, he would likely have better stats. It would be intriguing to see what his stat line would be if he played on a Maple Leafs team that were Cup contenders.
Why Toronto and Calgary Should Consider This Move
For the trade to be completed, Markstrom has to agree to waive his no-movement clause, which could be something that interests him since Maple Leafs’ general manager (GM) Brad Treliving was the one who signed him to that contract when he was with the Flames. This trade could also help Woll with the mentorship that he needs to become a bona fide starter in the NHL. Finding a deal that makes sense for both teams will take time to complete because Markstrom has a $6 million cap hit for the next two seasons. The Maple Leafs have to ensure they can take on the entire salary while still being able to improve their roster to try and compete for a Stanley Cup.
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The Flames will likely set the asking price at a first-round draft pick, a roster player or two, and a high-end prospect. Since they seem to be entering a retool, they will want to maximize their return on Markstrom while still helping their club within the next few seasons. For the Maple Leafs, it’ll likely mean parting with one of their high-end prospects, excluding Easton Cowan. It may mean the end of Fraser Minten or even packaging Nick Robertson with another mid-tier NHL-ready prospect along with an everyday NHL roster player. As for the first-round draft pick, it would likely mean parting with their 2026 first-round pick, which would mean after the 2024 NHL Draft, they wouldn’t have another first-round pick until 2027.
All in all, it would make the offseason very interesting if the Maple Leafs did acquire Markstrom from the Flames; it would breathe some fresh life into the fan base and allow them to put all their trust in Treliving.
