Confirmed Trade: [NJD/CGY] Jacob Markstrom for Kevin Bahl, 2025 1st round pick (top 10 protected); Flames retain 31.25%

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Draft pick has a chance at being an 11-19 pick which would be pretty good. Bahl is interesting with the tools he has. We got some good puck movers right now so a guy like this fits in well.

just FYI Bahl barely ever uses his size. He skates decently for a guy that size, but he might as well be 5'10'' with how soft he plays

 

[pth2]

A "non-playoff team"?

C'mon, let's not act like the Devils aren't a good bet to make the playoffs next season when the pick is being determined.

Right now, they aren't a playoff team.

If teams like Florida, Edmonton, NYR, Dallas, Vegas, make trades, they can assume they're playoff teams. Rebuilding teams, even those on the cusp, shouldn't be assuming things will work out for them.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

A "non-playoff team"?

C'mon, let's not act like the Devils aren't a good bet to make the playoffs next season when the pick is being determined.

You guys finished 13th in the Eastern Conference (and much closer to 15th in the East than 8th). I think calling the Devils a non-playoff team is fair.

I think you'll be better than last year but a bubble team nonetheless.

Hardly something to take issue with.

 

[Devilsfan992]

This reminds me of the deal Nj made for Schneider (G) when they gave up 9th overall. The only problem is Schneider back then was still young.

Like others have said, if the pick ends up close to 10th overall, NJ loses this deal. I’m also just not sold on Markstrom at this point in his career. He’s not young like Schneider was…

It's a much different trade.

- As you stated, there is an age difference.
- The Devils are in win now mode. When they traded for Schneider, we had just lost Parise and Kovalchuk and was about to lose Clarkson.
- Markstrom is a short-term solution. Schneider was meant to be the goalie of the future.
- The Devils traded the 9th pick compared to what we hope to be ~25th and a bottom pairing defenseman. The value may be much different depending on how the Devils fare in the standings.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Right now, they aren't a playoff team.

If teams like Florida, Edmonton, NYR, Dallas, Vegas, make trades, they can assume they're playoff teams. Rebuilding teams, even those on the cusp, shouldn't be assuming things will work out for them.

Teams just can't win here, all Devils fans heard was how goaltending sunk them last year, after not only making the playoffs the year before but winning a round. They go out and get a goalie and NOPE now they're still a rebuilding team and shouldn't be making deals like this.

I think most fans feel last year was a perfect storm of injuries, bad goaltending and bad coaching and not that the rebuild is still ongoing.

 

[Some Other Flame]

Fair trade. Glad it's over.

Should put any doubt to rest about whether the Flames are rebuilding

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

Not a cheap trade for sure, but you knew the Devils were going to get this done. Fitzgerald basically promised the fans that he's going to get a legit goalie, and there wasn't a lot to choose from.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

They soured the relationship with the player playing games to get more and that is all they got

I wonder what the draft pick value of Markstrom's feelings is

 

[Forge]

A first round pick from a non-playoff team for a 34 year old ?

That's got to be some kind of a record, if we exclude rentals and near-rentals. I don't like this for Jersey.... it's the kind of move a contending team should make to add a missing piece to fill a last serious gap in the lineup to be a serious Cup contender, not something a team on the tail end of a rebuild should be doing.

The rebuild is over. The team had the best regular season in their history 2 years ago. They had a rough season this year in part due to injuries. Fitz should probably be viewing last year as a hiccup, not an indication that the rebuild is still ongoing.

Now, is Markstrom going to win them a cup? Probably not. Too many other issues. So you can debate whether they should have given up the first for what is clearly a short term move, but at the same time I don't think people would have that many issues if they used this pick on a rental at next year's deadline if they were in the playoff hunt. There's just more risk here because at least at that point you have a pretty good indication on where that pick is going to land.

If they had traded a lot less for gibson or elvis, people would have laughed. If it was Gustavsson, there would be those that say he wasn't good, his one year was an outlierr, he's not going to solve the problem, etc.

Fitz made a bet here, but all of those guys were going to be a bet. There were no great options available, imo. It absolutely carries risk because if Markstrom craters, that pick could be good. If this is pick 21 or something, I'm just not going to care though. Teams trade those picks all the time and I wouldn't view Markstrom out of scope for that type of value.

 

[Quinton Byfield]

It's a much different trade.

- As you stated, there is an age difference.
- The Devils are in win now mode. When they traded for Schneider, we had just lost Parise and Kovalchuk and was about to lose Clarkson.
- Markstrom is a short-term solution. Schneider was meant to be the goalie of the future.
- The Devils traded the 9th pick compared to what we hope to be ~25th and a bottom pairing defenseman. The value may be much different depending on how the Devils fare in the standings.

It's the retention that took it from maybe 2nd round return to a 1st. But it's a valuation that could look bad if the Devils are bad next year. You'll have to pray that players like Jack, Hamilton, and even Markstrom will stay healthy.

 

[bleedgreen]

Non Devils fan saying they should be a playoff team this year. I think they had a step back due to injuries and couldn’t turn it around in time. This only helps.

 

[trellaine201]

I think that’s a good deal for Calgary. And especially for a goalie his age etc.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Right now, they aren't a playoff team.

If teams like Florida, Edmonton, NYR, Dallas, Vegas, make trades, they can assume they're playoff teams. Rebuilding teams, even those on the cusp, shouldn't be assuming things will work out for them.

the Devils are not rebuilding anymore. They are ready to compete. Hence this trade.

 

[Devilsfan992]

You guys finished 13th in the Eastern Conference (and much closer to 15th in the East than 8th). I think calling the Devils a non-playoff team is fair.

I think you'll be better than last year but a bubble team nonetheless.

Hardly something to take issue with.

The way I see it is:

Hughes miss 20 games with a Shoulder injury another 30 games where he played through the injury, which required surgery. Hughes was 8th in Hart voting in the prior season.

Hamilton missed 62 games last season. The prior season he was 4th in Norris votes.

The Devils upgraded Vanacek + Schmid to Markstrom + Allen.

Timo Meier missed 13 games and took a while to get back to game speed.
Hischier missed 11 games.
Siegenthaler missed 25 games.

Luke Hughes and Nemec were both rookies. Hopefully they make a big jump next season.

Mercer had a bad year after two promising years. If he bounces back, this will add much needed depth.

All it takes is for the Devils to be a little bit healthier, a little bit more experienced and receive a little bit better goaltending to be back to playoff contenders.

Remember this team had 112 points two years ago, and the makeup of the team is not much different.

 

[Meichel Kane]

Seems fair.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Happy with that return. This time last year Markstrom was an untradeable anchor with a NMC. So much for all those people saying there's no way in hell he's getting a 1st

Could work out well for the Devils. When he's on he's a hell of a goalie and always seemed to play better the more chances he faced. Definitely gets into funks that kept him from being that consistent top of the table goalie. Age and health kind of question marks and with his NMC he basically got to choose where he wanted to go. @4million he should provide good value.

Kevin Bahl is pretty whatever but the Flames badly needed a little snarl on their blueline, especially with a lot of smaller fwds coming up through the system. That was my one wish for a UFA and they got a younger cheaper version than what they could find in that market in this trade.

All in all I think this is tidy work from both GMs, they've addressed their team needs well here.

 

[HockeyVirus]

I wonder what the draft pick value of Markstrom's feelings is

Reputation matters in the NHL, even more so in a market like the Flames which struggles to attract free agents.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

IMO without even considering the return, this is the right move for the Flames. Dustin Wolf needs to play in the NHL and Markstrom was stealing too many games.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Right now, they aren't a playoff team.

If teams like Florida, Edmonton, NYR, Dallas, Vegas, make trades, they can assume they're playoff teams. Rebuilding teams, even those on the cusp, shouldn't be assuming things will work out for them.

Yeah I mean if you expect them to have most of their top 6 hurt, lose their 1D and most of their defensive core the whole year to injuries, not get a single save in net + inept coaching to continue then sure they're not gonna be a playoff team. Who on the Metro on paper is better than NJ? Carolina/Rangers, sure. Then it's a dog fight from 3-6 again and NJ just solidified their biggest issue from last year

 

[Gilmour1996]

Just when you see an organization do something really stupid, they often double-down on stupid a month later.

 

[Oneiro]

You guys finished 13th in the Eastern Conference (and much closer to 15th in the East than 8th). I think calling the Devils a non-playoff team is fair.

I think you'll be better than last year but a bubble team nonetheless.

Hardly something to take issue with.

Why is the '22-23 season discarded as some outlier but last year when they lost 200+ games from the core to injury and league worst goaltending, that's somehow closer to the truth? And they still managed to stay in it until the last week of the season. The division is also terrible, and Carolina is losing a lot of players to UFA and replacing them with inexperienced guys.

This team rolls when they're healthy and get even average goaltending. They're absolutely a playoff team next year.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Reputation matters in the NHL, even more so in a market like the Flames which struggles to attract free agents.

Vegas f***s around with players 20x a season and ultimately, it won them a cup

 

[HockeyVirus]

Vegas f***s around with players 20x a season and ultimately, it won them a cup

Vegas is a highly desirable place to play for other reasons

 

[TBF1972]

flip flop

i think the trade value of goalies are extremly underrated

kähkönen ufa rights for calgary 24 1st

 

[Xirik]

If the Devils defense stays healthy this year and Markstrom plays slightly above average then the 1st is a probably a 20+ pick which is fine for me. Bahl can be replaced easily. he's a 3rd pairing defenseman that is big but only uses it 5 games a year.

our prospect pool gets better this draft too. the cherry on top for this offseason would be to get a 2nd round pick somehow.