The Devils made a big move that they hope will solve their goaltending conundrum.
The Devs acquired goalie Jacob Markstrom from the Flames on Wednesday for a 2025 first-round pick and defenseman Kevin Bahl.
The pick is top-10 protected, and the Flames are retaining 31.25 percent of Markstrom’s remaining contract.
Markstrom, 34, has two years remaining on his contract at $6 million a season, but the Devils’ cap hit will be $4.125 million a year.
“It’s a great challenge for me, and I want to get pushed, I want to be challenged to perform my best,” Markstrom told reporters via Zoom after the trade. “I think my best will come out of this, for sure.”
The Swede had a 2.78 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in 48 games with the Flames this past season, his fourth year in Calgary.
It was an improvement on his 2.92 GAA and .892 save percentage in 2022-23.
The former Panthers and Canucks goaltender had his best season two years ago, when he had a 2.22 GAA, .922 save percentage and a league-leading nine shutouts.
As a team, the Devils were tied for the fifth-worst save percentage (.896) and fifth-worst GAA (3.43) in the NHL during the 2023-24 season.
Vitek Vanecek, who led Devils goalies with 32 games played, had a 3.18 GAA and .890 save percentage.
Nico Daws (21 games), Akira Schmid (19 games) and Jake Allen (13 games) all had GAAs between 3.12 and 3.15.
The 33-year-old Allen has one year left on his contract with a $1.925 million cap hit.
Bahl, 23, had one goal and 10 assists in 82 games for the Devils this past season.
The Devils recently hired Sheldon Keefe as their new head coach after he was fired by the Maple Leafs.