3 Reasons New Jersey Devils Haven't Traded For Jacob Markstrom
A new report says a trade between the New Jersey Devils and Calgary Flames might have fizzled out. Here are three reasons the Devils don't currently employee Jacob Markstrom.
The New Jersey Devils are in a bad spot. A lot is going wrong at the same time, and it's at a time of desperation. The Devils are now six points out of the final Wild Card spot and eight points away from the Philadelphia Flyers with three games in hand. With four games this week, they could be completely out of the playoff race by week's end or right back in the thick of things.
The unfortunate issue is the Devils have issues that cannot be addressed in the room. Despite Jack Hughes' return, the Devils cannot score. It's especially bad on the power play. The defense has major issues after Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton suffered major injuries. It's being led by rookies Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec.
Of course, the biggest issue on the Devils is goaltending. Despite getting through all of regulation without allowing a goal on Saturday night, Vitek Vanecek is still one of the worst goalies in the league. While his defense has given up a decent amount of high-danger chances, it really isn't as excessive as it seems. He's faced 7.75 HD shots per 60 minutes. Fifty-five goalies have faced a higher rate of dangerous shots.
The number one target for the Devils right now is Jacob Markstrom. It was revealed by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet that the Devils and Flames had talks, but they broke down this week.
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— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 11, 2024
So, let's go over why the Devils haven't or can't make the deal right now.
Reason #1: Price
The Devils have a ton of assets. Every team is circling the likes of Simon Nemec, Alex Holtz, Dawson Mercer, Kevin Bahl, and Santeri Hatakka as NHL players worth targeting in a deal. Add in quality prospects like Seamus Casey, Lenni Hameenaho, Arseni Gritsyuk, and Josh Filmon, and teams want to make trades with the Devils.
Tom Fitzgerald is taking on the riskiest years in the Markstrom deal, but the Flames realize their goalie is at its highest value in years. Those two situations don't mix. We won't be surprised if the Devils would have to add Mercer or Holtz to make this deal work. The Flames prioritize NHL players, and the Devils would have to make that the central part of the deal.
The Flames could also demand Simon Nemec in the deal. He's been great as a rookie, and the Devils should not move him to save a floundering season. Markstrom is a long-term piece, so it is worth giving up long-term pieces. However, it's not worth mortgaging the future. Fitzgerald knows that, and that's the number-one reason this deal isn't getting done.
Reason #2: Retention
The New Jersey Devils are looking for someone to either take Vitek Vanecek in a deal or retain money on a contract, which would include Markstrom's. Since he has two years left on the deal, the Devils are asking a lot of the Flames. Obviously, they can recruit a third party to retain some money, but to retain with term is going to cost a ton.
So, the Devils probably need to focus on the Flames. Here's the issue; the Flames NEVER retain money on trades. That's going to end any negotiation. Honestly, the Devils can afford Markstrom at this point, but it sounds like the Devils don't want to be on the hook for the entire $6 million that Markstrom is owed until 2026.
We're not sure how else to say this: this is going to kill the deal. It's probably killed the deal multiple times between the Devils and Flames. Fitzgerald needs to get creative if he wants retention. They need to recruit another team, and that could cost them a first-round pick that's not even going to the Flames. So, the Devils would need to send a first rounder to a team for retention, then pay the ridiculously high price for Markstrom himself. All this, while they are scraping at their playoff hopes.
It sounds like this could make it not worth it. However, the Devils should really just eat the deal if that's what's stopping it. If the Flames are willing to take Vanecek's deal (a big if), then it's bascially the same as retention.
Reason #3: Flames Contention
Right now, the Devils are six points out from the closest playoff spot. The Calgary Flames are one point out from a playoff spot. Of course, the Flames are in a weird spot, saying they don't want to lose assets for free after Johnny Gaudreau left them standing at the alter. That's why they traded Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov this season, but Markstrom is a different story. He has term while those others are going to be free agents.
The Flames have a lot to play for. They want a new arena in the city. The league is talking about all of these cities that want teams like Salt Lake City and Atlanta (which already owned the Flames once before). We're not saying that keeping Markstrom is keeping the Flames in Calgary, but making it a point to stay a contender when they are close will keep fans engaged.
And playoff revenue is a real game changer. It can mean the difference between profit and loss for a franchise in a particular season. The Flames are still a decent team. Now that Jonathan Huberdeau is starting to heat up, they could make a run towards the postseason.
This is an issue, but if the Devils hit the Flames price, they would trade Markstrom. It just isn't motivating to ask Markstrom about his no-trade clause if the deal isn't hitting a certain threshold. We just don't see a fit here.
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