The Calgary Flames must decide whether to keep or move goaltender Jacob Markstrom. Adam Proteau discusses three teams who may consider trading for him.

Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom was reportedly nearly traded to the New Jersey Devils last week, but the deal fell through, keeping the 34-year-old Swede in Calgary for the time being. 

However, Markstrom remains a distinct possibility to be dealt by the NHL’s March 8 trade deadline – whether that’s to New Jersey or another team.

Certainly, the Devils desperately need help between the pipes. They are currently tied for the NHL’s sixth-worst goals-against average (3.42), and if they’re going to make a push for a wild-card playoff berth, they need to address their netminding as soon as possible. 

New Jersey has $1.95 million in salary cap space, meaning they’d need to have Calgary retain some portion of Markstrom’s salary, and not just for the rest of this season. Markstrom is signed through 2025-26, so the Devils may look to a third team to make a Markstrom deal materialize. The Devils have all their first-round draft picks in the next three seasons, so if New Jersey GM Tom Fitzgerald deals his first-rounder this season to the Flames, Calgary could wind up with a very nice pick in the top half of the draft.

Markstrom is arguably the best goalie option on the trade market, putting Flames GM Craig Conroy in the driver’s seat as a seller. He must leverage Markstrom’s strong season into a deal that brings back younger players and/or draft picks to help Calgary thrive over the long haul. And if he can find a trade that doesn’t require retained money on the Flames’ part, he’ll certainly go for it.

There are other options for Conroy to try and stir up a robust market for Markstrom. The Toronto Maple Leafs are getting solid work from their slew of goalies, but the temptation to bring in a clear No. 1 netminder like Markstrom may be too much for Buds GM Brad Treliving to shrug off. A deal that sends a young player, such as winger Nick Robertson, and an above-average draft pick or prospect would probably be enough to get a Markstrom swap done, although it almost assuredly would require Conroy to take back veteran Ilya Samsonov to make the deal work under the cap.

Another possibility for a Markstrom trade, although much more of a long shot, is the Carolina Hurricanes. They’ve been getting great work out of youngster Pyotr Kochetkov recently, and veteran Frederik Andersen is on a comeback from a blood-clotting issue, but the opportunity to solidify their goaltending is there for the taking. 

The Canes have $4.52 million in cap space right now, so there may need to be cap ballast included from Carolina to fit Markstrom under the cap ceiling. But Markstrom certainly should waive his no-move clause to go to a bona fide Stanley Cup contender like the Hurricanes. He may not get many better chances at a Cup than the one he could get by becoming a Cane.

Whatever the case, there’s little doubt the Flames are interested in moving out Markstrom, and there’s also little doubt Markstrom wants to play for a serious Cup challenger. Like more than a few Flames veterans, Markstrom may soon see his time in Calgary end, and the only remaining questions now are (a) where he will be going and (b) how long Conroy will wait until moving him.