New Jersey Devils Continue Pursuit of Jacob Markstrom

It is the silly season in the NHL, and things are starting to pick up again between the New Jersey Devils and the Calgary Flames over goaltender Jacob Markstrom.

As Full Press Hockey has documented since the trade deadline, the Devils and Flames worked on a deal that would have sent Markstrom to New Jersey. Markstrom agreed to waive his no-trade clause to go to New Jersey. However, Flames management pulled the deal off the table. Thus, Markstrom remained with the Flames through the end of the season.

Markstrom let his feelings be known at the end of the season. He was unhappy about it and said the circus surrounding whether he would be traded could have been prevented.

“All the rambling could’ve been not happening,” Markstrom said. “All the talks and stuff going on throughout the season, starting early in the season till the [trade] deadline day, they pretty much could’ve been not happening and me just focusing on hockey. That’s what I would have appreciated because obviously I’m still here.”

At the beginning of last season, Markstrom had told the Flames to only come to him about waiving his no-trade clause unless the deal was happening. Everyone thought it was going to happen until it did not.

Making things even more complicated, Jacob Markstrom indicated he did not know what his future with the Flames would be. Markstrom still has two years left at an annual average value of $6 million.

“I don’t know,” Markstrom said to the press at the Flames year-end availability.

Flames General Manager Craig Conroy added fuel to the fire by indicating he was unsure of his goalie’s future with the team.

“Time will tell,” general manager Craig Conroy said when asked about Markstrom’s future.

However, in speaking with some people around the league, Jacob Markstrom is still willing to waive his no-trade clause to come to New Jersey. The Devils want him, and he wants to go to New Jersey.