The New Jersey Devils are reportedly starting the process of negotiating a contract extension with starting goalie Jacob Markstrom, but it's a negotiation they will have to win in order to protect their future.
Markstrom, 35, is in the final year of the six-year, $36 million contract he signed with the Calgary Flames back on Oct. 9, 2020 and will be a 36-year-old unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
This matters because Markstrom will be eligible to sign a 35+ contract for the first time, which could have serious implications for the Devils if things go south in the future.
According to PuckPedia, and based on the changes introduced in the 2020 CBA, if Markstrom signs a 35+ contract and is bought out, the Devils are on the hook for his full cap hit - no cap relief at all. Additionally, if he's sent down, his cap hit is only reduced by $100,000.
Tom Fitzgerald must avoid a 35+ contract for Jacob Markstrom at all costs
In layman's terms, the Devils have no "out" with Markstrom if Father Time catches up with the Swedish netminder, especially if that next contract includes any no-trade or no-move clauses.
Now, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald and the front office can avoid a 35+ contract if: Markstrom's total compensation either stays the same or increases from one year to the next, and there are no signing bonuses after Year 1.
It sounds simple enough to avoid something that could be catastrophic in the future, and if the Luke Hughes contract negotiations have taught us anything, it is that Fitzgerald can and will drive a hard bargain to protect his team and keep the future open for the Devils.
To give Fitzgerald credit, even though he tanked the Ondrej Palat contract, he did well with players like Jack Hughes, Jonas Siegenthaler, Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, and even Jake Allen.
So, as long as the Devils are cautious with Markstrom, they have the ability to make the perfect move to bridge the present to the future at the goalie position without any significant drawbacks.