James Nichols
The New Jersey Devils have completed a multi-player deal with the Florida Panthers, sending goaltender Jacob Markstrom and winger Angus Crookshank to Florida in exchange for forward Evan Rodrigues, center Jesper Boqvist, and prospect Ben Steeves. No salary is being retained by New Jersey on Markstrom’s contract, meaning the Panthers assume the full cap hit moving forward.
Markstrom, who holds a full no-trade clause sees his trade protection downgrade to a 20-team no-trade list effective July 1. The 36-year-old netminder returns to the organization that originally drafted him back in 2008, providing Florida with a veteran presence in goal amid uncertainty surrounding Sergei Bobrovsky’s pending unrestricted free agency.
On the return side, the Devils add immediate forward depth and a prospect.
Rodrigues has one year remaining on his contract with a $3,075,000 AAV. The versatile 33-year-old has carved out a role as a reliable middle-six contributor who can play up and down the lineup and help on special teams. Boqvist, a former Devils draft pick who won a Stanley Cup with Florida, brings familiarity and bottom-six energy after spending recent seasons bouncing between depth roles in Boston and South Florida. He’s in the last year of his contract with a $1.5 million AAV.
Steeves, a young AHL scorer with the Charlotte Checkers, adds upside as a goal-scoring winger who has shown promise in the minors.
This move gives New Jersey a little more breathing room under the cap, bringing their cap space to $12,977,500 while reshaping their forward group and goaltending picture. After a season where the crease lacked consistency, the club can now lean more heavily on options like Jake Allen and Nico Daws—or look outside the organization for help. Crookshank, a recent addition to New Jersey who showed flashes in limited NHL action, heads out as part of the package—another piece in what looks like a broader roster refresh ahead of free agency.
For the Panthers, landing Markstrom answers their goaltending questions at a key time.
