The New Jersey Devils have a pair of aging but solid goaltenders in Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. Both are good enough to help the Devils play at an elite level as their core is well in its prime. But when you look at their respective cap hits following Jacob Markstrom's recent contract extension, it might make you raise your eyebrows.
Markstrom has a $4.125 million cap hit in 2025-26 for the Devils, before his next cap hit of $6 million over two years kicks in for 2026-27. Meanwhile, Allen has a $1.8 million hit that expires in 2030. As strange as it looks on paper, Elliotte Friedman is a fan of it, citing the total cap hit starting next season is just $7.8 million.
On his 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman said, "I understand why New Jersey did this. They're in win-now mode, It gives them a really good combination. And we'll see if I'm right about this, but Markstrom's history is to play better when he's settled."
Take care of the goaltenders and they will take care of the New Jersey Devils
While Markstrom struggled to kick off the 2025-26 season with an ugly 0.875 save percentage and a 4.17 GAA, his dominant performance on Nov. 1 against the Los Angeles Kings, which saw him finish the game with 43 saves and a 0.977 save percentage, came one day after Markstrom signed that $12 million extension.
Right now, Friedman is spot on regarding Markstrom and how he plays when he doesn't have a contract situation looming over his head. Now that Markstrom knows he's going to be in town for another two seasons and it already looks like he's playing with a clearer mind, there's a good chance fans will see the lights-out version of him that ended the 2024-25 season with four shutouts and a 2.50 GAA.
Still, the Devils needed to consider Markstrom's age, and signing Jake Allen to a bargain deal of $9 million over five seasons on Jul. 1 was the way to go. Markstrom's days as a clear-cut No. 1 goalie are behind him despite the steep cap hit of his recent deal. But if he can play in roughly 55 percent of the Devils' remaining games and puts up numbers similar to what fans saw last season while Allen takes the remaining 45 percent, then Devils fans should have high hopes.
What having both netminders under contract means for the Devils going forward
Handing Markstrom more money up front over two years while Allen's contract is spread out over five years will guarantee the Devils have serviceable goaltending long term. Markstrom's epic outing against the Kings adds fuel to that, as the Devils' high-octane skaters know the pressure may not be on their shoulders to keep pace with the best teams in the Metro Division.
This group of skaters is well into their respective primes, and it shows with 46 goals throughout their first 13 games, good for 3.53 per contest. With the Devils boasting a 9-4-0 record and 18 points, while Markstrom no longer has a potential contract dispute looming on the horizon, all signs point to the Devils factoring in as one of the best and most complete teams in hockey.
Of course, nothing is set in stone in the NHL, as players can go through bad stretches, injuries occur, and coaches can make bad in-game and lineup decisions. But on paper, the Devils look like they're just getting started.
It won't be long until fans in Newark look back on Friedman's quote and say, "Yep, the guy was right about Markstrom and the Devils' goaltending situation." Sometimes, you just need to clear your head of any potential distraction, like a contract situation, to play your absolute best hockey.