The New Jersey Devils announced today that the team has acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames in exchange for Kevin Bahl and New Jersey’s first-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft (top-10 protected). Calgary will be retaining 31.25% of Markstrom’s remaining contract, which after this season, has two years left on a six-year, $36,000,000 ($6,000,000 average annual value) deal originally signed with the Flames on October 9, 2020. The cap hit for those remaining two years will be $4,125,000. The announcement was made by President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald.
Markstrom, 34, joins New Jersey after spending parts of the last four seasons with the Calgary Flames. The 6’6”, 205lbs. goaltender was 23-23-2 this past season with a .905 save%, 2.78 goals-against average and had two shutouts in 48 games played. Between the 2017-18 and 2022-23 NHL seasons, Markstrom had played in 72% of his club’s total games (327 of 453) and posted a 2.66 GAA and .911 save% over that span. In 2021-22, Markstrom recorded a career-high 37 wins (37-15-9), which ranked fourth in the NHL that season, and posted a career best 2.22 GAA and .922 save%. He also posted nine shutouts in 2021-22, which led all NHL netminders, as he finished second in Vezina Trophy voting. Amongst all goaltenders since 2019-20, he ranks fourth in games played (256), fourth (tied) in shutouts (17), sixth in saves/shots against (6,594/7,256), and sixth in wins (138).
Markstrom has a career record of 215-196-57 record since making his NHL debut with Florida on January 23, 2011, which was against the Devils. The Gavle, Sweden native owns a career 2.73 goals-against average and .909 save percentage and he is one of three Swedish-born netminders all-time to earn 200, or more, career wins (Tommy Salo and Henrik Lundqvist).
Markstrom had played for the Florida Panthers (2010-14), followed by parts of seven seasons with Vancouver (2013-20), before signing as an unrestricted free agent with Calgary in October 2020. Twice Markstrom’s teams have made the post-season, first in Vancouver (2020) and again in Calgary (2022). Markstrom has played in a total of 26 career postseason games with a 13-13 record and a 2.90 GAA, with two shutouts. He was named an NHL All-Star in 2020 as a member of the Vancouver Canucks.
Born January 31, 1990, Florida selected Markstrom in the second round, 31st overall, in the 2008 NHL Draft. He has represented Sweden on the international stage where he has won four medals. Markstrom helped Sweden win a Silver Medal at the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) World Junior Championship (WJC), and then a Bronze Medal at the 2010 WJC. He later won another Bronze Medal with Sweden at the 2010 World Championship (WC) and earned a Gold Medal at the 2013 World Championship.
