Flames trade goalie Jacob Markström to Devils (2024)

By Pierre LeBrun, Chris Johnston, Julian McKenzie, Shayna Goldman and Lukas Weese

The Calgary Flames traded goalie Jacob Markström to the New Jersey Devils for defenseman Kevin Bahl and a protected 2025 first-round pick, the teams announced Wednesday. The 2025 first-round pick is top-10 protected. Calgary is retaining 31.25 percent of Markström’s contract ($6 million cap hit), which has two years remaining.

Markström, who spent the last four seasons with the Flames, was 23-23-2 in 2023-24, with a 2.78 goals against average and .905 save percentage. On Oct. 9, 2020, Markström signed a six-year, $36 million contract as a free agent with the Flames.

The trade deets. pic.twitter.com/2Fu0snZB5P
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 19, 2024

Markström, 34, entered the league when the Florida Panthers selected him at No. 31 in the 2008 NHL Draft. He spent four seasons with the Panthers before being traded to the Vancouver Canucks in March 2014.

Markström spent seven seasons in Vancouver and made his first NHL All-Star Game in 2019-20.

His best season with the Flames was 2021-22, when Markström set career bests in wins (37) and goals against average (2.22).

Markström’s legacy in Calgary

Markström could have, and should have, been the goaltender that helped Calgary get over the top. That was the hope when the Flames signed him to a six-year contract in 2020 as the then-30-year-old was entering his prime alongside stars like Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk and Elias Lindholm up front.

His four-year tenure produced highs like the Vezina Trophy-nominated season in 2022 and some brilliant single-game goaltending performances.

But some may dwell on the lows. He had one playoff appearance during his four seasons. He didn’t play at his best during the 2022 second-round series against Edmonton, a team he nearly signed with as a free agent. Now, that series will be studied for its lasting effects on both the Oilers and Flames. It was followed by an offseason dealing with nagging injuries and a disappointing 2022-23 campaign where inconsistency plagued him all year, leading to bad goals allowed, an inability to make saves on the first shot he’d see in games and a handful of broken sticks.

Markström returned to form in 2023-24 even with rumors swirling around his pending UFA teammates. His save percentage was back above .900 and nobody was better at dealing with high-danger chances than the Swedish netminder. Teammate Rasmus Andersson even called him a top-three goalie and implored the media to see things his way. But once the deadline passed, and he let the media know that he wasn’t happy about the trade speculation surrounding him, his play fell off again.

What’s next for the Flames?

This trade allows top prospect Dustin Wolf to be an NHL regular in Calgary. The Flames knew he was ready to be an NHL regular going as far back as last summer. But with Markström and Dan Vladar up with the big club, Wolf was left to dominate the American League.

Despite being a seventh-round pick and having a smaller stature (Juuse Saros is the only other NHL goalie smaller than him), Wolf carries an impressive resume. He is a two-time Western Hockey League and American Hockey League goalie of the year. He even won AHL MVP after the 2023 season.

GO DEEPERIf Dustin Wolf is the Flames' goalie of the future, what needs to happen next?

Wolf was given a handful of NHL games this past year and was called up to back up Markström or Vladar whenever either goalie was hurt. The Flames needed him to soak up the NHL experience as much as possible. There were growing pains for the young goalie, but he has earned an opportunity for more time at the world’s highest level of professional hockey.

As for the return, it appears to be underwhelming for the Flames. They don’t receive a forward prospect (either Alexander Holtz or Dawson Mercer). They also retain salary on Markström’s contract for the next two seasons.

In exchange, they get a big, 23-year-old, left-shot defenseman in Bahl. There isn’t much offensive upside in Bahl, but the Flames are likely hopeful he can blossom into an everyday defenseman who can log minutes.

The Flames, at least, get a 2025 top-10 protected first-round pick which should offset the team losing a first-round pick next summer because of the Sean Monahan trade in 2022. But some wondered if New Jersey’s No. 10 choice in this year’s draft would be in play for a Markström trade. It’s another deal that will leave Flames fans wanting more. — McKenzie

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Devils get a No. 1 goalie

With the Markström trade, the Devils finally get a number one goaltender. This was the team’s biggest need heading into the offseason, so the fact that management got this done early and at a super reasonable price is a win. The Devils’ possession game made it seem like they could get by without a bonafide starter. But this past season proved otherwise with both Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid falling short. New Jersey showed that they need a goaltender who can make a big-time save when there’s a giveaway or defensive breakdown, and Markström is exactly that.

To bring Markström in with salary retention is a win for the Devils, who have a lot of cap space dedicated to their core players. The two-year term also works in their favor considering how many long-term deals are already on the books in New Jerseys. The Devils avoid overcommitting on a position that has burned them so many times while adding the stability they need to contend. Maybe this buys Nico Daws and Schmid time to develop without the trial-by-fire approach that both have experienced over the last couple of years.

The price of acquisition also clicks for New Jersey. The team didn’t have to give up Alexander Holtz, Dawson Mercer, or their 2024 first to add a goaltender — which every competing team knew the Devils were trying to do. It’s a really good bit of business that leaves management with more trade assets to keep tweaking their roster around their core. —Shayna Goldman, NHL staff writer

Required reading

What went wrong with the Calgary Flames in 2023-24? A sell-off and lack of star power
New Jersey Devils’ offseason questions: From Jacob Markström to forward options

(Photo: Derek Cain / Getty Images)