Just as Devils fans thought things couldn't get worse with Jacob Markstrom this season, he gave up nine goals against the Islanders, a game that was primetime on ESPN for the world to see. It was an example of things going from bad to worse for a team that's in a freefall.
According to a graphic posted on X by Patrick Bacon, Jacob Markstrom's performance was the worst in NHL history when it comes to goals saved above expected with a GSAx of -7.34.
Shout out to @DominicDs34 for the correction, this chart erroneously included shootout goals against.
— Patrick Bacon (@TopDownHockey) January 7, 2026
This makes it even more impressive that Markstrom still ranked 1st.
Here are the corrected top 5 worst goalie games ever: pic.twitter.com/e9u1OIZDWq
It wasn't just Bacon's Top Down Hockey that proved it. Every analytics model has Markstrom as putting up a historically bad performance.
Jacob Markstrom put forth an unfathomably bad performance on Tuesday night
Ever since signing a contract extension on Halloween night last year, Jacob Markstrom has a 7-10 record, 3.29 GAA, and .882 SV%. Just last night against the Islanders, Markstrom had a .625 SV%. Those numbers don't help the Devils whatsoever, a very underwhelming stretch of games that has been that way because of poor goaltending and a lack of scoring. If the Devils want to just make the playoffs this year, Jacob Markstrom needs to play up to his contract to help this team take the leap that everyone has been waiting for several years now.
It is obvious that he is not the answer now and in the future for this team, but General Manager Tom Fitzgerald thinks otherwise. It was a head-scratching decision when the news was released, and now it is very clear that it was arguably one of the worst moves he has made during his tenure in Newark, New Jersey. It is also important to know that Jacob Markstrom has a 20-team no-trade list during the 2026-27 season, and that list of teams decreases to a 5-team no-trade list for the 2027-28 season. The Devils are stuck paying Markstrom $6 million AAV for this year and the following two years as well.
With 39 games remaining this season, the Devils sit just three points from last place in both the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference. A team with aspirations of lifting a Stanley Cup this season might not even have a chance and miss the playoffs. However, they also sit three points out of the final Wild Card spot. If they win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night, that could become one point.