The New Jersey Devils have not played a game since April 15, however, this has not stopped them from being busy. General manager Tom Fitzgerald officially made his decision on who the new head coach is, as Sheldon Keefe was announced the team’s new bench boss a couple weeks back. Now, as the Stanley Cup finals slowly come to an end, the real work is getting started.
The Devils goalie search is ongoing as the team looks to add to a room that currently features veteran Jake Allen.In an interview with NHL.com Fitzgerald said, “I haven’t gotten anything yet but the more I talk to teams, I say ‘Listen, I’m open to moving No. 10, but it’s going to have to be something (significant).'”
For the Devils, the piece coming to New Jersey would have to be huge. It is no secret that the goalie position has lacked for the last few seasons as the Devils have used 12 different goalies since the 2020-21 season. Things appeared to be looking up during the 2022-23 season, as newly acquired netminder Vitek Vanecek went on to become the first goalie since Martin Brodeur to have a 30 win season. He had a strong season, but things went off the rails during the 2023-24 season.
Vanecek struggled, finishing with an .890 save percentage. He was shipped off to the Sharks in a trade for Kaapo Kahkonen. Overall the goaltending improved, but the damage was already done as Devils as a team finished 30th in team save percentage (.886). Safe to say, an upgrade is in order and there are two players the Devils have circled.
According to Pierre Lebrun, the Devils have interest in Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom and Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark. Further confirmation of the Markstrom interest can be found via Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun referring to the Devils as the favorite to land Calgary’s netminder. Regardless, albeit different, both are established number one goaltenders who have proven themselves in the league. At the end of the day you can only have one. So, what do each bring to the table?
Devils Goalie Search Candidates
Jacob Markstrom
Well, here we go again. The Devils goalie search is on and it begins with a familiar name. After a deal fell through at the trade deadline, the Devils and Flames are back to reportedly discussing Markstrom. The two teams are no strangers to making trades, as the Devils acquired Tyler Toffoli for Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round draft pick just last season. There are hurdles to acquiring Markstrom, as he has a full no-movement clause in his contract. However, according to Lebrun he is willing to waive to New Jersey. Thats a good sign and now it is all about meeting the price that Craig Conroy is seeking and getting Calgary’s ownership approval; the reported hold-up to a deal during the 2023-24 season.
Markstrom does not come as a rental, as he is locked up through the 2025-26 season and has a salary cap hit of only $6 million per season. He is 34 years old, so for long term he won’t be the answer but he is the answer for the next two seasons. Markstrom is an immediate upgrade in the goal crease and would give this Devils team a chance to win and compete.
Markstrom was an elite goalie this season, finishing with a staggering 28.93 goals against average (GSAx). This number ranked third in all the league. Despite only posting a .905 save percentage, Markstrom was extremely strong behind a putrid Calgary team. Overall, he has posted a positive GSAx numbers in each of the past three seasons. That trend goes back as far as nine years, as seven of which featured a positive GSAx.
Markstrom has had playoff experience in his 14 year career, so he does bring that element with him. The biggest key to Markstrom is he has term and his salary cap hit is affordable. Given his age, the fact he is only under contract of two more years, the price tag should be relatively friendly in terms of other potential top starters.
Linus Ullmark
The next candidate for the Devils’ goalie search lies within the Eastern Conference. There is a different hurdle that comes with acquiring Ullmark from the Boston Bruins. Ullmark currently has a 15 team no-trade list in his contract, but also needs a new deal. His contract ends after the 2024-25 season, as he will be an unrestricted free agent due for a considerable pay bump. However, his salary cap hit of $5 million is extremely affordable for this upcoming season.
Ullmark has spent the last three seasons being part of one of the best goalie tandems in the league. Over the last three years with the Bruins, Ullmark has a 2.28 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. Furthermore, he has posted two seasons in a row with a GSAx mark of 38.21 and 21.62, respectively. Both figures were near the top in the league.
Regular season success is evident for Ullmark, but when it comes to be playoffs it has been a different story. Ullmark got his first taste of postseason action during the 2021-22 season, as he opposed the Carolina Hurricanes. He started two games and allowed eight goals and eventually lost the crease to Jeremy Swayman. During the 2022-23 season, he started six games and it was clear he was dealing with an ailment. He was not as strong as he was in the regular season, finishing with a 3.33 goals against average and a subpar .896 save percentage. He played one game during the 2023-24 playoff run, as Swayman was sensational.
Another potential worry point for Ullmark is over his time with Buffalo, he only posted a positive GSAx once. Granted, the actual results were strong; specifically a .912 save percentage.
Ullmark is a strong goaltender and will come up with the key saves when you need them. He is a goalie that can backstop you to the playoffs and give you a chance to win. The playoffs remains to be seen but with a strong Devils team in front, anything’s possible.
Final Thoughts
The Devils goalie search is on and big game hunting it is, as Fitzgerald alluded to was the goal after the 2023-24 NHL trade deadline. Each of the above analyzed goaltender would instantly make the team better and continue their trajectory as NHL contenders. However, both goalies come with different challenges when acquiring them. Markstrom is older and only has two more years on his team-friendly deal. Meanwhile, Ullmark is younger, but is set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and likely in for an extreme pay raise.
The Devils core is put together and the team is built to compete up front. All it needs is a stable goalie and to be a presence in the crease. You really can say that the Devils are a goalie away from being a legit contender and acquiring either of Markstrom or Ullmark should land them in the postseason.