The New Jersey Devils are preparing for the home opener at the Prudential Center without one of their most important pieces. Starting goalie Jacob Markstrom was knocked out at the end of the win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday. He came in relief of Jake Allen, who left with cramps.
After a few days, the Devils revealed that Markstrom will be out for a couple of weeks with the injury. It’s rough news for a Devils team that’s facing a very hard October schedule. Luckily, Allen was ready to take the mantle for opening night against the Florida Panthers, but there are still games against the Oilers, Maple Leafs, Wild, and two against the Avalanche before the end of the month.
Prior to the injury, reports said that Markstrom and the New Jersey Devils were working on an extension. Some believe the injury would pause those talks. Markstrom has had to work his way into regular season form, and this injury will only slow down his progress.
However, it now appears the Devils and Markstrom’s camp will go full steam ahead. Extension talks remain on the docket.
Dreger on Insider Trading says Devils and Markstrom would both like to get an extension done, nothing close yet, but there is mutual interest. Devils love having Markstrom who is great in the room.
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) October 16, 2025
Markstrom has been lauded as a great teammate, and he played incredibly well in the playoffs last season. He was the main reason the Devils were competitive against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round. That's when the Devils need Markstrom to play well.
The Devils are poised to make a deal work with Markstrom. This injury shouldn't impact those talks at all from the Devils side. They know it's a short-term pain point for him. Honestly, it might even help the Devils in negotiations. As Markstrom gets older, he might prioritize staying put and could take less, just like Jake Allen did this past offseason.
The Devils have to ask themselves how comfortable they are with going long term. Is anything over two years too much? Markstrom will see more injuries coming as he gets older, and they do hav Nico Daws, Jakub Malek, and Mikhail Yegorov waiting in the wings.