Jacob Markström shows why Devils acquired him — and what he means to them in the future
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The goaltender showed why in Game 5. He made 33 saves in the third period and in the two overtime frames, robbing Jackson Blake, Eric Robinson and Jordan Martinook on dangerous chances in the first extra period. Martinook looked to the sky in frustration after the goalie gloved his wrist shot from the slot.
When Markström is at his best, he's among the best goalies in the world. He showed that with the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, finishing in the top five in Vezina voting while with each team. That level of performance wasn't enough for the undermanned Devils, down Jack Hughes and three defensemen, to upset the Carolina Hurricanes. After a Carolina push that lasted more than 40 minutes of game time, Sebastian Aho ripped a power-play goal past him early in the second overtime, ending the Devils' season with a 5-4 loss.
Markström, who can wear his emotions on his sleeve, slammed his stick on the post, breaking it in half.
'It's frustrating right now that it ended like this,' the goalie told reporters in Raleigh, N.C., after the game.
Now that the New Jersey season is over, Markström has one year left on his contract. He's 35 years old, which adds a wrinkle to the Devils' contention window. When healthy — which they weren't this year — the Devils have high-end forward talent in Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt and captain Nico Hischier, as well as Luke Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Pesce on the back end. Markström's age could put a limit on how long he's part of that core, and it could perhaps add urgency to Fitzgerald's approach to the coming season.
The Devils gave up a 2025 first-round pick and Kevin Bahl to acquire Markström from Calgary. He had an injury-interrupted first season with the Devils, but in the games that mattered most, he proved himself as worth the price. He posted a .910 save percentage in the playoffs and stopped 6.23 goals more than expected, according to Natural Stat Trick.
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'He's the best,' Pesce said earlier in the series. 'He's our horse. Love that guy to death. I love going to battle with him. You know he's going to come up big.'
He did in the regular season, at least before suffering an MCL sprain Jan. 22. Before the injury, he had a 21-9-5 record with a .912 save percentage. He saved 12.67 goals more than expected, according to Evolving-Hockey. He struggled his final 13 regular-season games after coming back from injury March 2, dipping his season save percentage to .900 in 49 games.
Marky's out here making the incredible look easy. pic.twitter.com/qyglWhzV7c
— x – New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 30, 2025
Markström had a save percentage above .900 in four of the Devils' five games against Carolina. His best stretch of play came toward the end of Game 5, all after he gave up goals on three consecutive shots early in the second period, then another to Aho on a five-on-three power play later in the frame. He made 15 saves in the third period, including a flurry of stops on Logan Stankoven. He continued to rob Hurricanes players in the first overtime period. Blake couldn't beat him on a three-on-one rush. He gloved a one-handed Robinson redirect. Martinook looked to the sky in disbelief when Markström robbed him from the slot.
'Man, we were under siege, and he was outstanding,' Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said in his postgame news conference.
Each save kept the Devils' season alive a little longer.
'He gave us a chance to keep fighting,' Keefe said.
The skater group — battered on the back end and lacking necessary forward depth — just did not have enough.
Trade rumors connecting Markström to the Devils started in the 2023-24 season. Calgary traded Tyler Toffoli going into the year, then moved Elias Lindholm, Noah Hanifin and Nikita Zadorov during the season. Markström, who has a no-movement clause, did not end up getting traded in season. The Devils piqued his interest, though. His agent, Patrick Morris, told The Athletic over the summer that the goalie 'was fixated on New Jersey all last year.'
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Markström got his wish when Fitzgerald acquired him in June. The Devils were counting on him to bring stability after none of Vitek Vaněček, Akira Schmid or Nico Daws emerged as a consistent enough starter in a disappointing 2023-24 season in which the team missed the playoffs. After the way Markström played against the Hurricanes, Fitzgerald can feel good about that decision.
Speaking to the media in Raleigh, Hischier said he felt bad for Markström because of how hard he battled in Game 5.
'I know how much he wants to win,' he said.
Next year will offer another chance. And given Markström's age, it's an important one — for him and the Devils.
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