Overview
- Multiple outlets reported over the weekend that the New Jersey Devils are taking calls on veteran goalie Jacob Markstrom, though sources say a trade is not imminent.
- Markstrom struggled in 2025–26, posting a 23-19-1 record with a 3.07 goals-against average, an .883 save percentage, and deeply negative goals-saved metrics that undercut his trade value.
- The two-year, $12 million extension that begins July 1 carries strong trade protections that drop from a full no-move clause to a 20-team no-trade list, which opens a practical window for deals.
- Teams with goaltending needs including the Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins have been mentioned as logical suitors in coverage of the market.
- Moving Markstrom would give Mehta salary-cap room and force a decision on the Devils’ crease because Jake Allen remains under contract and Nico Daws is an unproven option, while the thin market for reliable starters will shape what the Devils can get in return.