The New Jersey Devils acquired Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom on Wednesday in exchange for 23-year-old defenseman Kevin Bahl and a top-10 protected 2025 first-round draft pick. The Devils had been involved in trade rumors for a goalie, with Markstrom and Boston Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark at the forefront. The Flames receive a young defenseman and a first-round pick to help with what appears to be a rebuild of sorts.
Markstrom has two years remaining on his contract, which will pay the 34 -year-old $6 million per season. The Flames are retaining 30 percent, knocking the annual salary to $4 million for New Jersey. The 6-foot-6 goaltender was 23-23-2 with two shutouts during the 2023-24 season and compiled a 2.78 goals-against average with a .905 save percentage. The 2008 second-round pick has played 485 NHL regular season games with a 215-196-57 record and was second in the Vezina Trophy voting after the 2021-22 season.
Bahl was a 2018 second-round pick of the Devils and played 82 games during the 2023-24 season with one goal and 10 assists, and a +1 rating. Bahl also registered 103 blocked shots and 151 hits. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound left-shot defenseman averaged 17:24 of ice time with New Jersey.
Markstrom waived his no-trade clause to make the trade happen and New Jersey keeps the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft.
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