The New Jersey Devils have many very important people in their organization. There are a ton of great players, coaches, and management people who aim to help this team take the next step.
In 2023-24, many of these great people were there, but there was one major issue with the team: They didn't have good goaltending at all. When that happens, you essentially have no chance to win.
During the off-season, New Jersey made a very nice addition to their team. They made a trade with the Calgary Flames which brought in goaltender Jacob Markstrom. Markstrom has been a high-end NHL goalie for a long time. Over the last two years, the Flames have started to take steps back, which affected Markstrom's numbers, but they were still good despite being on a mostly underperforming team.
The New Jersey Devils added a new goalie that could be a star for them
On a team with the skating talent that the New Jersey Devils have, Markstrom should be able to return to form. He is the sixth most important player on the team because of that fact. If he rises above, the team can be one of the best in the NHL.
Even if he is just a slightly above-average goalie, the team could still win a ton of games if everyone stays healthy. They will be fast, skilled, and score a ton of goals so the goaltenders just have to keep them in games. They didn't do that last year and the results were what they were.
It shouldn't take Markstrom long to get acclimated to the team. New defensive defensemen like Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon will make it easier on Markstrom, and the forwards should be good at keeping the puck on the other side of the ice.
Everybody knows about New Jersey's offensive upside. If Markstrom can be that starter, they were looking for when they traded for him. This team could be as entertaining as anyone in the league.
Markstrom is lucky that New Jersey figured out a backup situation as well. Jake Allen will take some pressure off of Markstrom and things should be good in the blue paint thanks to them.