The statistical results may not jump off the page behind the Canucks (29-32-9), who have struggled with injuries to defensemen and are on pace to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fourth straight season, but Markstrom has set an NHL career high with 25 wins, and his .913 save percentage, which ranks 13th among NHL goalies who have played in at least 35 games, is even better when you add some context.
Markstrom's save percentage this season is below his full-season NHL best .915 in Vancouver in 2015-16 and barely above his .912 from last season. But this is the first full season he has been above the NHL average for save percentage, which was .915 in 2015-16 and dropped to .912 last season and .909 this season, and he has done it facing the third-most shots in the League (1,664).
Like a lot of goalies amid a breakthrough season, Markstrom is quick to point out his isn't an overnight success story.
Often touted as the best goalie not in the NHL early in his career, Markstrom had a .943 save percentage to help Sweden to a silver medal and was named the top goalie at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship but struggled to stick with the Panthers.
Markstrom played 43 games through four seasons in Florida before being traded to Vancouver as part of a package for goalie Roberto Luongo on March 4, 2014. But he cleared waivers and played most of the following season with Utica of the American Hockey League. He spent his first two seasons with the Canucks working with then-goaltending coach Roland Melanson in the NHL and Dan Cloutier in the AHL, reining in aggressive play that opened holes in his 6-foot-6 frame.
"When I first got here with [Melanson], we worked every day for hours, repetition, repetition and that was the first time I understood what it would take and how much work you have to put in," said Markstrom, 25-20-8 with a 2.75 goals-against average in 53 games this season. "Now a lot of people I talk to say, 'I like the way you play,' and they haven't been liking it for previous years and so it's kind of like, 'Oh, what did you different?' And I'm like, 'This is a 10-year process coming into play.' You feel comfortable the more you play and the more games you play."