6 Moves New Jersey Devils Must Make To Have A Perfect Offseason
By Nick Natale
Trade For Jacob Markstrom
Okay so here's the deal, Markstrom would not be the top goalie choice this offseason, but we're going for realism and he has been the hottest name attached to the Devils. The 34-year-old is having a strong season on an incredibly average Calgary Flames team. In fact, if they were a smidge worse than average, Markstrom would probably be a Devil already.
The Markstrom and Devils saga has been talked about at nauseam and until the team finally gets its number one goalie we'll keep hearing about it. Other options like Juuse Saros and Linus Ullmark are more appetizing than Markstrom because of their age, but both of those goalies will command a big extension and trade compensation.
So, for now, the Devils acquire Markstrom for a fraction of what Calgary was asking for earlier in the year and have a new number-one goalie for at least $6 million for two more seasons. What shouldn't be lost in it all is that he is still a very good goalie. Markstrom is near the top of the league in Goals Saved Above Expected, while the rest of the Devils goalies sit in the cellar. His age doesn't make him choice number one, but he's a solid and realistic option this offseason.