The exchange
The devils get: Goalie Jacob Markstrom (Flames keep 31.3 percent of his salary)
Flames get: Defenseman Kevin Bahl, 2025 first-round pick (top 10 protected)
Sean Gentille: When the first reports on this topic began to trickle in, the dots seemed pretty easy to connect. The Devils, partly overwhelmed by poor goaltending in what was supposed to be a stellar season, had identified Jacob Markstrom as the solution to their problems, and they had been pursuing him for months. His no-move clause had been an issue – but those kinds of issues are often resolved, especially when the acquiring team is, you know, good. Above all, a strong prospect pool and a 2024 lottery pick meant Tom Fitzgerald had options to fill any demands.
“Markstrom to Devils for No. 10 pick next week? Fair enough on both sides. Everyone gets a B-plus,” that’s where I landed before we knew the details.
Then we learned the details – and then the grades changed. This is nothing short of a heist for New Jersey, which acquired its dream goaltender for… what exactly? Pick No. 10 stays put. The Devils’ pool of prospects is intact. Their best young NHL-ready players are still in the fold. And, perhaps most shockingly, they’re saving nearly $2 million off Markstrom’s cap hit for the remaining two years of his contract.
None of this is to say that Markstrom is perfect; he’s not much of a franchise guy, mainly because he’s prone to the performance fluctuations that seem inherent to 95 percent of NHL goaltenders. He is, however, a significantly above-average starter with the potential to look like something more at times. Thanks to Calgary’s continued salary, that’s exactly what the Devils are paying him for.
Perhaps more importantly, last season only Connor Hellebuyck and Jordan Binnington had him beat league-wide in goals saved above expectations. That’s great for anyone, let alone someone who is about to replace the Vitek Vaneceks, Nico Dawses and Akira Schmids of the world. The Devils didn’t miss the playoffs just because of their goaltending — an injury-decimated defense was another big factor — but they came pretty close. Now they’ve turned that weakness into a strength for a protected pick and third-pairing defenseman.
That brings us to the end of the deal for Calgary, which begins with the obligatory disclaimer: GM Craig Conroy was in a tough spot because of the no-move clause. The market was what it was. It’s not entirely false, but it’s still an apology, and it’s similar to what we heard at the trade deadline. Conroy, as difficult as his situation may be, has yet to win a trade and is short on tradeable pieces. It helps to have Dustin Wolf in the fold as the heir apparent, and it certainly seems like a large portion of the Flames fan base was ready to move on from Markstrom. That doesn’t make this one any less disappointing, especially considering the very real possibility that Markstrom drives this 2025 first-round pick somewhere into the 20s.
When you lose a deal in a variety of ways – no top pick, no prospect, no impact player, money sent the other way – the rating can only be harsh.
Devils Note: A
Flame quality:D-plus
Shayna Goldman: Finally, the Devils are bringing in a real No. 1 goalkeeper. Management’s plan to maintain the status quo in net with Vanecek and Schmid to start the 2023-24 season has burned them. So for several months, the question has been asked Whennot if they were going to find a legitimate goaltender to support this promising team. That didn’t happen at the deadline, as New Jersey opted out of Vanecek’s contract and brought in Jake Allen and Kaapo Kahkonen. But it led them to take a big step forward in the offseason – and here it is with the acquisition of Markstrom.
Markstrom is a very good choice for the Devils. He’s coming off one of his best seasons to date, where he saved nearly 29 goals above expectations in 48 games, according to Evolving Hockey’s model. Before the deadline, according to their model, Markstrom’s numbers were very flashy, which could be because he made timely saves on broken plays and giveaways. This ability should fit nicely into the Devils’ fast-paced system, which suffered from some truly dicey defensive breakdowns last year.
With Markstrom behind them, the Devils should be able to play to their strengths next season and do some damage in the East. So the fact that New Jersey was able to get this deal done with salary maintained and without moving the 10th pick or Alexander Holtz is quite an accomplishment. Fitzgerald filled the team’s biggest need without relying too heavily on any one position. Markstrom’s contract length also clicks for New Jersey given his age, 34, and his cap situation. That gives management two years to evaluate Schmid and Daws to see if either will be ready to take over. And if management can sign Dawson Mercer to a bridge deal this summer, it will allow him to get a raise when Markstrom is no longer on the roster.
As for the Flames, phew.
Calgary didn’t have much influence here. The goalkeeper’s immobility clause created an obstacle. And the vibes took a huge hit when Markstrom stated how unhappy he was with the whole situation back in March. So while management was able to express that they were happy with next season with Markstrom, it was a decision that had happen.
However, the return is disappointing. It feels like the Flames overplayed their game and missed their best opportunity to bring back a Markstrom goal before the deadline. Bahl brings back a left-handed shot with size, and a 2025 first round pick is no small thing either. But Markstrom, especially with his retained salary, is worth much more than that. Calgary should have been able to use the fact that the Devils were desperate for a number one goaltender to their advantage, and they really missed their chance to do so.
Devils Note: A
Flame quality: C-minus
Eric Duhatschek: There are two ways to evaluate the Markstrom deal: The first is to assess the value based on what was available. The second is to evaluate the agreement based on what was intended. Most thought the Flames could get more for a goalie of his stature. The return seems a little light. In this scenario, it’s a complete victory for the Devils and you wonder: what were the Flames thinking? Why couldn’t they take the No. 10 pick in this year’s draft from the Devils — and failing that, at the very least, land Alexander Holtz?
Essentially, the correct answer is that it was a crowded goaltending market and the Devils had all the leverage. When they didn’t hesitate to give up a top 10, Calgary’s options were limited. Either shop Markstrom elsewhere, knowing he had no moves and would be extremely selective about where they moved him, or take what they could. That’s what they did.
In Bahl, we basically hope to have a younger version of Nikita Zadorov. He’s a 6-foot-6, 230-pound defenseman, just 23 years old, who was drafted 55th overall in 2018, was traded to the Devils in the Taylor Hall deal with Arizona and played every games for New Jersey last year, in part because of all their injuries. on the blue line. With Dougie Hamilton back healthy and Simon Nemec and Luke Hughes firmly established on their NHL roster, Bahl was available.
Usually, young defenders of this size gradually improve with each passing season. That’s probably Calgary’s hope – that he can play in their top six right away, replacing some of the minutes Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev gave the team last year, while also landing a future first-round pick that will help with its reconstruction.
Calgary now has two first-rounders in 2024, two in 2025 and two in 2026 (the latter from the Hanifin deal with Vegas). Would you have liked the top 10 in 2024? Absolutely. That would have given the Flames back-to-back picks, at numbers 9 and 10. That didn’t happen.
This is effectively delayed gratification – pushing the team deeper into a rebuild and handing the goaltending job to Dustin Wolf and Dan Vladar, likely in tandem. A return therefore defensible, but not ideal. But he’s a first-rounder and a young player for an asset, Markstrom, who cost them nothing to acquire early on. He originally signed as a UFA.
But for the Devils, it’s a great job. They have a goalie to help them get to the next level of their development. However, you may want to analyze the raw numbers on Markstrom last year, if you rely on the eye test. He was their best player, whether it was him or MacKenzie Weegar. He makes the Devils an instant playoff contender, after missing last year.
The Devils have a few young goaltenders in the pipeline who can develop at a slower pace while Markstrom and Allen fill in for the time being. This will give new coach Sheldon Keefe something his predecessors didn’t have: occasional big stops with the game on the line. Fitzgerald used the influence he had to extract a proven starter without significantly disrupting his lineup in the NHL.
An excellent short-term result for them. For Calgary, the returns will be assessed years from now as rebuilding gathers pace.
Devils Note: A
Flame quality: B-minus
(Top photo by Jacob Markstrom: Terence Leung/NHLI via Getty Images)