Confirmed with Link: (G) J. Markstrom (30% retention) traded to NJ for (D) Kevin Bahl, 2025 1st rd pick (Top 10 protected)

[Blackjack]

Yeah that one worked out pretty good

I can't really say anything though because at the time I liked Lundqvist and thought it was a good trade for Dallas.

 

[devilsblood]

Lou would never ever have used 3 rookie defenders...Never in 2 million years...now we are saddled with two that have to be in the lineup until they get up to the level we need them to be to compete...

Seems many don't want to face this truth. They weren't close to being competent top 4 defenders last year and it's going to take some time before they are... I don't know why this is such a hard pill for some to swallow?

The plan was to use one rookie defender.

Nemec was only used because of injuries.

Bahl was not a rookie.

 

[Unknown Caller]

man, too bad the Devils are "saddled" with the 2 best U-21 DMen in the sport. What a burden!

Yeah but they aren’t big stay at home defensemen with mean faces so they’re soft and useless.

 

[JimEIV]

I hate to be saddled with two of the best young D in team history.

It's absolutely great to have them....but it's going to take a few years before they realize that talent at a league-wide level.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

 

[Davegarri]

Better sign a good defensive LHD for the PK. Siegs and Hughes are not going to get it done.

I am meh about this deal overall just because I don't like giving up a first for a 34 year old goalie. But I'm sure the prices for ullmark and saros were astronomically high

 

[Marv4Life]

Let's suppose the best case scenario...

Is making the playoffs and getting bounced in a round or maybe even two worth a middle 1st round pick and Bahl?

I don't know at this point I don't think we should be unloading the chambers to just make the playoffs. It seems shortsighted.

Compared to what we've been through this past decade, yeah.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Yeah that one worked out pretty good

Does it matter? NYR used it on half broken Tarasenko

 

[Dylan9z9]

So when does Markstrom retire? 10 days before the season?

I hear he has been hanging out with Cory Crawford lately

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

Jacob Markstrom with competent backup Jake Allen for a year. $6m combined.

It's a bit of a gamble - but aren't all trades?

You hope Markstrom benefits from a change of scenery. Allen is better than Vlader. So that should ease up the workload.

We've seen how great Markstrom can be in the past. It's a gamble for 1-2 years. I mean, we needed to do something. This also doesn't have to be the only move. I joked about Oettinger... but we can still go out and look for / sign another good goalie. We are really only tied to this player for one year (if he sucks, you buy out his 2nd year).

Hopefully we fill out our D. I don't think i'm crazy in thinking that players will want to play here. Looks to be some decent options that could hit Free Agency that are currently better than Bahl.
Assuming we get extra D before the season starts... then we are a better team next season then the start of last season.

 

[JimEIV]

The plan was to use one rookie defender.

Nemec was only used because of injuries.

Bahl was not a rookie.

Bahl came into this season with 66 NHL games over 3 seasons....

Luke 2
Nemec 0
Nemec was always playing this season, it was only a matter of how much....no way was he going to get buried in Utica for another full season.

 

[Saugus]

Teams legit do this every year when they acquire rental players. So regardless of what you, I or anyone else thinks, the NHL has largely made that determination in terms of first round pick value, tbh. I don't view this as being out of line with that. I think people really need to adjust what they think the firsts are often worth (that's not to say that people should be all in on trading these picks either).

Whether they should make that bet is a perfectly fair discussion point with really no right answer. I mean, 1 team wins the cup every year, so a binary approach based on winning the cup is far too harsh of a grading stance.

Maybe a rental Is the way we need to think of this deal. If we did it at the 2025 trade deadline, Bahl + 1st wouldn’t have been an absurd price.

Fitz just got our rental 8 months early.

 

[Guadana]

meh, the Stars traded a (conditional) 1st round pick for Nils Lundqvist in 2022.

Yeah, that was their worst decision with their 1 round pick. Thanks. May be Fitz will learn something from this expirience too. As from Johnston and Stankoven. After their Stanley Cup final run.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

We're now Bahless.

 

[Guadana]

Dallas has won one WC, let’s not pass them off as the best example of a consistent winner.

They played in SCF and drafted Johnston and Stankoven after that. As Mavrique Bourque who has huge chance to be impactful player on NHL level. Their only one trade of first round pick was their only bad decision with first round pick. They found great players and use him for free.
So its better to learn this experience

 

[JimEIV]

We're now Bahless.

This is what hurts the most. I lost my Wood and now my Bahl

 

[Mr Bojanglez]

It's absolutely great to have them....but it's going to take a few years before they realize that talent at a league-wide level.

Take a look at available UFA defenders for this year.

I think we can snag a solid player (better than Bahl currently). We have the cap space. And i believe we are a desirable destination once again.

 

[Forge]

Maybe a rental Is the way we need to think of this deal. If we did it at the 2025 trade deadline, Bahl + 1st wouldn’t have been an absurd price.

Fitz just got our rental 8 months early.

LOL I just said something to this effect on the main board.

It carries some risk, because we have less certainty on where that pick is going to land. Okay to admit that, but yeah, if Markstrom is a solid goalie and this team makes the playoffs again, like whatever. The NHL does this all the time.

 

[JimEIV]

Take a look at available UFA defenders for this year.

I think we can snag a solid player (better than Bahl currently). We have the cap space. And i believe we are a desirable destination once again.

I don't think that's out of the question...just seems like a lateral move . Unless of course we get a significant upgrade.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

I love how this board props up guys after they leave like Bahl, he was utter garbage last year and one of the bigger issues on the backend with how his play fell from 2023 playoff levels. If Siegs is the 3LD in talent/depth chart, it's a very good thing for the roster. Hatakka also outplayed him in the limited time he got

 

[guitarguyvic]

I simply don’t have faith that a 34/35 year old Markstrom is significantly better than what we’ve experimented with for years now. The only reason I’m not more upset about this trade is because I do believe a large part of modern NHL goalie performance is about what the skaters in front of him are doing. I do have faith that Keefe is going to get these guys to play better D. The flip side to that is…there are still big upgrades needed to the skaters and if Fitz doesn’t succeed there the play in front of the goalie might still be a problem in spite of improved structure. I don’t foresee a 35 year old streaky and injured goalie being the guy that masks crappy defensive play.

 

[billingtons ghost]

We're now Bahless.

Sadly I think we were ballless before the trade.

 

[Forge]

I am meh about this deal overall just because I don't like giving up a first for a 34 year old goalie. But I'm sure the prices for ullmark and saros were astronomically high

Yeah, it's a rough spot. There's just no goalies that are available that I really felt all that comfortable with. Even Ullmark, I don't trust him to handle the workload even though he's a better goalie night in, night out. I want no part of Gibson or Elvis.

I'd have liked to take a chance on Gustavsson or Knight, but there certainly some risk there as well and you could kind of just tell that Fitz was probably going to "shoot higher".

I have concerns about the age, but Markstrom playing at a good level last year probably makes them feel comfortable that he's still capable of playing well next year. I'm wary of the cliff approaching, but nobody ever predicts when the cliff actually happens, especially after a good year. So I kind of get it.

 

[Guttersniped]

Writing was on the wall that either Siegs or Bahl was gone when Fitz said a top 4 dman was on his wishlist. Wonder which FA or potential trade target he has in mind

Would have preferred Siegenthaler, I’m higher on Bahl than most of the board and have been for years.

So I’m bummed it’s him instead of Holtz. Not sure what he’ll get us.

You usually have to give up defensive prospects to get a defenseman off someone’s roster.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I simply don’t have faith that a 34/35 year old Markstrom is significantly better than what we’ve experimented with for years now. The only reason I’m not more upset about this trade is because I do believe a large part of modern NHL goalie performance is about what the skaters in front of him are doing. I do have faith that Keefe is going to get these guys to play better D. The flip side to that is…there are still big upgrades needed to the skaters and if Fitz doesn’t succeed there the play in front of the goalie might still be a problem in spite of improved structure. I don’t foresee a 35 year old streaky and injured goalie being the guy that masks crappy defensive play.

I already posted the stats.

Markstrom + Allen last year were 28.6 goals saved above expected better than Vanacek/Daws/Schmid were. Its a pretty significant upgrade.