The clock is rapidly ticking down ahead of the trade deadline. Deals have begun to pour in as teams take final form before the playoffs. The one team to watch in it all is the New Jersey Devils. They are very much on the outside looking in, yet have been in the thick of trade discussions; primarily surrounding goalies.
For the majority of the season, they have been connected to Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom, and those rumours have persisted up to the deadline. Markstrom has been the name at the top of the list. Although he hasn’t been alone. At varying points of the season, they were linked with Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson, Columbus Blue Jackets Elvis Merzlinkins, and Nashville Predators Juuse Saros. Most recently, they’ve been linked with Boston Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark. Whether a trade is imminent is unknown, but it’s time the team makes a final verdict before the trade deadline.
My latest Rumblings for @TheAthletic on non-rental trade targets ahead of the deadline — Buchnevich, Markstrom, Ullmark, more ⤵️ https://t.co/pFFU01g0wd
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 4, 2024
Final Verdict on New Jersey Devils Acquiring a Goalie
As we said, Markstrom is, and has been, the top name. The 34-year-old has two more seasons left at $6 million per year. At one point this was a stumbling block in negotiations, however, the Devils stance has changed. The most recent news surrounding Markstrom was that it was Calgary management that nixed the trade to the Devils. However, it seems that Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has continued his pursuit, and is prepared to wait until the summer.
Friedman on 32TP: “I believe the #NJDevils have decided that Jakob Markstrom is going to be their goalie, they hope. If they don’t get Markstrom done this week, they are going to wait to try to do it in the summer”
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) March 4, 2024
Also part of the report is the Devils could also be targeting Bruins goalie Linus Ullmark. The 30-year-old is coming off of a Vezina-winning campaign in 2022-23 and has one more season at $5 million. The Bruins use Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman pretty evenly, but will have to pay the pending RFA Swayman big money this summer. While Swayman would be a home run acquisition, the Bruins probably won’t trade him. That leaves a cap-strapped Bruins team short on options. Despite one year left, Ullmark has put up extraordinary numbers throughout his career and is four years younger than Markstrom.
Final Verdict
Short and simple; the Devils shouldn’t make a goalie move until the summer. Their playoff hopes are dwindling and there’s no reason to throw a goalie into this mess right now. Whether it be Markstrom, Ullmark, or anyone else, they should still be there in the summer when prices are lower and negotiating is easier. This summer will be the most important summer of Tom Fitzgerald’s tenure as Devils GM, and he should give himself the best chance possible to find a franchise goalie. Even if Markstrom is his top choice, he’s still depriving himself of the chance to scour the goalie market when more players may be available.
Unless they decide to sell off Tyler Toffoli and other pending UFAs, the trade deadline should be quiet for the Devils. Prices are at their highest right now, and this team is nowhere near the playoffs. Selling off and collecting assets to use in a future goalie trade may be the smartest move. However, all signs point to very little action coming out of New Jersey on deadline day.
Main Photo: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
