James Nichols
It appears Sunny Mehta is trying to make at least one drastic change to the New Jersey Devils.
According to NHL insider Kevin Weekes, the New Jersey Devils are gauging market interest from other clubs regarding veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom, though a deal is not considered imminent.
The report comes as the Mehta is clearly evaluating his options following a disappointing 2025-26 season in net.
Markstrom appeared in 44 games (43 starts), posting a 23-19-1 record with a 3.07 goals-against average and an .883 save percentage while logging 2,544 minutes.
Markstrom also posted a horrible -11.9 goals saved above expected, ranking him 88th out of 98 goaltenders to play in 2025-26.
Markstrom recorded just one shutout and a poor 17 quality starts (39.5% QS%). The numbers represent a significant regression from his strong 2024-25 campaign with the Devils, in which he went 26-16-6 with a 2.50 GAA and .900 SV% in 49 games.
The downturn contributed to broader struggles for New Jersey, which contributed to their absence from the playoffs.
The Swedish netminder faced heavy workloads at times and showed inconsistency, with several high-shot-volume games exposing vulnerabilities, such as a 9-0 loss to the New York Islanders in which he remaind in goal for the full duration of the loss.
It’s an intriguing given that Markstrom signed a two-year contract extension—negotiated and signed by Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald—worth $12 million ($6 million AAV) that officially kicks in on July 1.
The new contract was meant to provide stability, but instead creates cap constraints as the organization weighs roster improvements ahead of the next season.
The report suggests the Devils are proactively exploring trade scenarios to upgrade the position or gain cap flecibility, which certainly signals a mistrust in Markstrom going into 2026-27.
The Devils have Jake Allen with four years remaining on his contract. Nico Daws is a pending restricted free agent.
While no immediate move is expected, the report highlights ongoing internal discussions about the future of the crease in New Jersey.
