New Jersey Devils trade of Jacob Markstrom leaves door open for Igor Shesterkin

The New Jersey Devils were tied to many, many goalies over the past 12 months. It started with the Connor Hellebuyck hullabaloo last year, which only led to him re-signing with the Jets at the 11th hour. Then, there was a season's worth of rumors that tied the Devils to every possible goalie. We've heard rumors about Juuse Saros, Linus Ullmark, John Gibson, Joonas Korpisalo, Elvis Merzlikins, Marc-Andre Fleury, and their two eventual trade partners, Jake Allen and Jacob Markstrom.

There's a reason the latter two were their eventual acquisitions. They aren't the best two goalies on that list. They are, however, the two goalies who cost a normal return while also coming with some term. Yes, Allen and Markstrom are both older, but that gives the Devils an out. However, for the out to make sense, they need to have someone in place to take the reigns.

It would be downright scary to be in a position where the Devils need to re-sign a 36-year-old to save their winning ways and to keep the good times going. However, there are a few ways it won't be the only way.

There is a world where the New Jersey Devils could target a free agent Igor Shesterkin.

Look at the Colorado Avalanche. They have continued to win with a different goaltender almost every season. They've done it with Semyon Varlamov, Phillip Grubauer, Darcy Kuemper (who won them a Stanley Cup), Alexander Georgiev, and now it could be Pavel Francouz. Eventually, they hope it will be Ilya Nabokov.

It shows that a short-term plan can work. However, the Florida Panthers also showed that giving all of the money to a goalie doesn't hurt a team's chances from winning the Stanley Cup if the rest of their cap sheet is in order. And that's where Igor Shesterkin steps in.

The New York Rangers star and best player is in the final year of his contract. Most assumed a deal would be done by now. This isn't the Connor Hellebuyck situation where most thought he would play out the season. The Rangers want to lock Shesterkin up.

However, all the rumors say Shesterkin wants an unprecedented contract. He's been wildly underpaid for years, and he's looking for back pay. The rumors are saying he wants a deal in the realm of Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. He's looking for $12 million per season.

In all likelihood, it would take a number like that to get him away from New York. Could the Devils even afford that? With another rise of the cap, the Devils should have around $20 million to spend. That sounds like a lot, but it's really not nearly enough. That number doesn't account for Luke Hughes' new deal (which will be at least $8 million AAV), Dawson Mercer's, and filling the rest of the roster after Nathan Bastian, Tomas Tatar, and Curtis Lazar leave.

Still, this is the best goalie in the world. Add him to a team with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton, and more talent than is even fathomable, and he will win. That's a given pretty much anywhere he goes, but if he can cash out at the same time, why not go to a team ready to win that doesn't even cause you to change addresses?

The Devils would need to make some rash moves, but again, this is Igor Shesterkin. This would be the biggest Rangers player to switch sides of the Hudson River Rivalry ever. Is there risk in paying an aging goalie like that? Sure, but this isn't a normal goalie. He's the best in the world by a pretty good margin. He should stay great for the better part of a decade.

Taking Markstrom instead of someone like Saros, Hellebuyck, and Ullmark allows the Devils to make future moves for better players. If one becomes available for the small price of salary cap space, they need to jump on it. They could even keep Markstrom and Shesterkin for a year. They just have to move some pieces like Erik Haula and likely Ondrej Palat. They haven't been that bad, but the salaries just don't work in a world with a superstar goalie.