"This is a bad trade" "Calgary fleeced them": NHL fans react as New Jersey Devils seal trade for Flames' Jacob Markstrom

The New Jersey Devils have acquired goalie Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. Markstrom had a contract with the Flames through 2025-26 with a $6 million annual cap hit. He had a mixed season and finished with a .905 save percentage and a 2.78 goals-against average. His best year was in 2021-22 with a .922 save percentage.

Kevin Bahl was part of the deal going to Calgary. He played 82 games for the Devils last season, scoring one goal, providing 10 assists and accumulating 82 penalty minutes.

Fans had various reactions to the trade news.

"Holy crap this is a bad trade; has Calgary given up on the next decade?" One fan tweeted on X.

"Wow! Calgary fleeced the Devils," another fan tweeted.

"Lol I like Bahl more than I like Markström. Markström is not an elite goalie. He’s a slight upgrade over what they had. It’s not like they traded for Saros here. Either way, Devils needed an upgrade at G and they got it. See how it all shakes out," one X user tweeted.

"Flames definitely didn't lose that trade," one fan tweeted.

"I hope this turns around Markstroms career," another fan tweeted.

"That makes sense for the first rounder, good deal for both," one fan tweeted.

After months of speculation, the Calgary Flames traded Jacob Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils

The Calgary Flames have traded goaltender Jacob Markstrom to the New Jersey Devils. They have received defenseman Kevin Bahl and a first-round pick for 2025.

Flames will retain 30% of Markstrom's contract, reducing his average annual value (AAV) to $4 million. This will help the Flames avoid their financial commitment on July 1, when a signing bonus would have been due.

Rumors of Markstrom's trade have never died down since the trade deadline but we saw the negotiations heating up recently. The talk initially faced a hurdle since the Flames were reluctant to retain any of Markstrom's salary. The Devils had looked at other goaltenders like Jake Allen before circling back to Markstrom.

Markstrom's standout season was 2021-22 during his four-year stint with the Flames. He had a remarkable 37-15-9 record and was a Vezina Trophy runner-up. Originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in 2008, Markstrom has a career record of 215-196-57, with a .909 SV%.

Markstrom has also represented Sweden in international competition, winning gold at the 2013 World Championship and bronze at the 2010 edition.