James Nichols
The New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers completed a multi-player swap that reshapes both teams’ immediate outlooks. New Jersey had been seeking a fresh look in goal, while the Panthers were seeking an answer. The Devils addressed some depth amid the deal for themselves as well.
The Devils Trade
Devils get: Forward Evan Rodrigues, center Jesper Boqvist, and prospect Ben Steeves
Panthers get: Goaltender Jacob Markstrom and winger Angus Crookshank
What the Devils Received
New Jersey walks away with a clear upgrade in roster construction and future optionality. Rodrigues, a 33-year-old veteran with one year left at a $3.075 million cap hit, arrives as a dependable middle-six two-way winger. He stays active in all three zones, contributes reliably on special teams, and has a habit of producing in clutch moments. His versatility gives coaches flexibility to slide him up and down the lineup without losing structure.
Boqvist, a former Devils draft pick and Stanley Cup winner with Florida, brings bottom-six energy and two-way responsibility. Capable of playing center or wing, he posted 12 goals and 23 points in 2024-25 before a down year of four goals and 13 points in 73 games last season. His defensive awareness and reliability in limited minutes make him a low-risk, high-utility addition at a $1.5 million AAV for the final year of his deal.
The prospect Ben Steeves adds scoring potential from the AHL, providing another piece with upside for the organization’s pipeline or future trade currency.
Beyond the players, the deal creates $12,977,500 in cap space and removes the inconsistency that plagued New Jersey’s crease. Markstrom’s 2025-26 numbers—23-19-1 record, 3.07 GAA, and .883 save percentage in 44 appearances—fell short of expectations, and NHL Edge zone mapping highlighted his challenges. He sat below league average across danger levels: .883 overall (vs. .896 NHL), .793 in high-danger areas (vs. .811), .859 mid-range (vs. .884), and .962 long-range (vs. .968).
All figures landed below the 50th percentile, underscoring vulnerability in critical scoring zones. In short, Markstrom struggled with shots from any and all locations.
Devils grade: A
Sunny Mehta continues to demonstrate sharp timing and value-driven decision-making. This move offloads a struggling asset, injects useful forward depth, preserves cap flexibility, and aligns with a broader effort to sharpen the roster for contention. It’s a decisive step forward on multiple fronts.
He will, however, need to address the net moving forward. Is it on Jake Allen and Nico Daws now? Or will someone else be brought in? Regardless, Mehta hits a home-run.
What the Panthers Received
Florida gains a veteran goaltender with ties to the organization—Markstrom was originally drafted by the Panthers in 2008—at a time when uncertainty surrounds Sergei Bobrovsky’s pending unrestricted free agency. Now, it appears the door for the Russian netminder to return is closed after Florida acquired ex-Devils goaltender Akira Schmid from the VEgas Golden Knights.
Markstrom’s full no-trade clause downgrades to a 20-team list on July 1. When he’s on, he provides experienced No.1 potential in net. However, it’s a gamble for Florida as he struggled to turn on at all in 2025-26. His recent performance metrics suggest he is no longer the stabilizer he once was, and handing him a larger role carries risk if the trends from last season persist. They revived Bobrovsky once. They’ll try again with Markstrom.
The Panthers assume the full cap commitment in hopes that familiarity and a fresh environment can spark a rebound.
Angus Crookshank adds a younger winger who showed occasional flashes and scoring touch in limited NHL action.
Panthers grade: C+ This is a calculated risk for Florida. Markstrom brings veteran presence and organizational history, but the underlying performance questions make it a bet that will be judged by how effectively he handles increased responsibility.
Overall, the trade tilts in New Jersey’s favor. Mehta’s latest transaction clears hurdles in goal while strengthening forward depth and cap flexibility—exactly the kind of pragmatic, forward-looking work that builds sustainable contention.
