Calgary Flames Goaltender Jacob Markstrom Reportedly Agreed To Waive NMC For Deal With Devils

Flames have plenty of irons in the fire as NHL trade deadline approaches

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Especially true with the Calgary Flames just weeks before the NHL trade deadline.

There has been plenty of talk about who’s next to go. Odds favour defenceman Chris Tanev, who checks every box for Stanley Cup contenders looking for leadership and sacrifice to solidify their top four on the blueline. Noah Hanifin is another hot commodity — if he doesn’t decide to sign on the dotted line with the Flames before they pull the trigger on a trade.

Both could almost certainly return first-round draft picks and/or top prospects.

But the most interesting development this week has been the Jacob Markstrom trade talk.

It’s been reported for days that the New Jersey Devils were interested, and that salary retention was the hurdle that couldn’t be cleared to close a deal for the 34-year-old former Vezina runner-up.

How close?

According to one NHL reporter, the Calgary Flames goaltender was asked — and agreed to — waive his no-move clause to head to Jersey for a shot at the Cup.

This contradicts Markstrom’s words to Sportsnet’s Eric Francis this week, although the netminder has never been much for talking about personal things. Or talking in general.

Either way, it’s doubtful Markstrom has physically signed off on his control and will approach that on a case-by-case basis for other potential landing spots.

But if the report is true and the only blockade for another local blockbuster deal before the deadline was the salary retention, don’t be surprised if the Flames and Jersey reunite and add in a third-party franchise to make the money work.

The Flames are in the driver’s seat with Markstrom, who still has two more seasons on his $6-million AAV deal. The team has Dustin Wolf waiting in the wings but could move Markstrom in the off-season when more teams would enter the bidding.

Currently, only top contenders with goaltending problems would be on the list. And cap space is an issue with almost any of those — including the Toronto Maple Leafs, where former Flames GM Brad Treliving now calls the shots.

The way he has played this season has elevated him to Vezina contention once again after a disastrous dip last year.

Looks like the Calgary Flames may cash in on that.