After last season, most considered goalie to be a position of strength for the New Jersey Devils after several years of struggles in net. Things change quickly, though, and as they do, the Devils must adapt and adjust in lockstep.
Jacob Markstrom, the 35-year-old veteran, will be due for a new contract at the end of this season, but he hasn't been particularly good to kick off 2025-26 and has battled injuries and inconsistency over the last few seasons.
At his current pace, the Devils would be playing with fire if they extend him at all, let alone for multiple seasons.
Then there's Jake Allen, 34, who re-upped with the Devils for five years this summer at a heavily discounted (and intentionally spread out) $1.8 million cap hit. His two years of a full no-trade clause effectively guarantees him two more seasons with the Devils, including that one, but his age makes anything beyond that dubious at best.
In terms of prospects, the Devils still have Nico Daws, who is effectively on his last chance to establish himself as an NHL regular, Mikhail Yegorov, who is still several years away, and Jakub Malek, who has struggled while playing in the AHL for the first time this season.
If Markstrom continues to struggle and Daws steps up in his place, the Devils might want to consider trading for Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Devon Levi, a 23-year-old with NHL experience and a flawless 4-0-0 record to start this season with the AHL Rochester Americans.
According to an NHL source, via Jimmy Murphy of RG Media and Ratings, teams like the Philadelphia Flyers and Utah Mammoth would "love" to know the Sabres' cost to acquire Levi's services.
But, if I'm the Devils, I'm saying 'Wait a minute!'
The trade cost for Levi may or may not prove to be prohibitive, but the Devils need proven experience in the organization, especially if Daws finally steps up.
Malek could benefit from time in the ECHL with his 0-3-1 record and .856 save percentage, and Levi could find himself challenging for a true NHL role out of the gate next season.
Levi is on a two-year contract that carries a cap hit of $812.5k, so he's an inexpensive bet to become much more valuable than his deal suggests. It also afford the Devils some time to work with the rising salary cap, with Quinn Hughes becoming a free agent in 2027 and captain Nico Hischier being up for a contract extension in the summer.
We'll see what Buffalo's price ends up being as Alex Lyon, Colten Ellis, and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen crowd the goalie room, but the Devils would be fools to not inquire, at the very least.