Devils could trade Markstrom to target Hellebuyck or Bobrovsky

The Devils are listening to offers for Jacob Markstrom, whose $6 million cap hit runs through the 2027-28 season after a 2025-26 campaign that saw him post an .883 save percentage in 44 games.

Mehta’s first off-season priority

Sunny Mehta replaced Tom Fitzgerald on April 16, 2026, after Fitzgerald was fired April 6. Mehta arrived from the Panthers organization and now holds full authority to reshape the roster. The move followed another disappointing Devils season that ended outside the playoff picture. Mehta’s first major decision centers on whether to retain Markstrom or move him to reset the position.

Markstrom arrived via trade from Calgary on June 19, 2024, in exchange for a first-round pick and defenseman Kevin Bahl. Two years later the 36-year-old Swede has recorded a 3.07 goals-against average in the regular season while showing better form in the 2025 playoffs with a .911 save percentage. The contrast between regular-season results and playoff performance leaves the organization with a clear decision point.

Mehta’s background with Florida gives him direct knowledge of Sergei Bobrovsky’s contract situation. Bobrovsky earned $10 million in 2025-26 and becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. A two- or three-year deal at $7 million to $8 million per season would fit the Devils’ projected cap room once Markstrom’s salary is removed.

The Devils retain all three of their first-round picks in the next three drafts. Those assets could be packaged for Connor Hellebuyck if Winnipeg decides to move the Michigan native. Hellebuyck’s acquisition would require multiple high picks and salary retention, yet it would place a proven Vezina-level starter in a Metropolitan Division weaker than the Atlantic.

Cap flexibility and division shift

Removing Markstrom’s $6 million hit creates immediate room for a higher-priced starter without exceeding the cap. The same window allows the team to add a veteran backup while still addressing other roster holes that extend beyond net. A trade partner would receive a known quantity under reasonable terms, increasing the likelihood of a deal before the July 1 free-agent period opens.

Bobrovsky’s potential move to New Jersey would reunite him with Mehta and shift him from the competitive Atlantic Division to the Metropolitan. The change in schedule and opponent strength supplies a measurable competitive edge for a 37-year-old goaltender entering the final phase of his career.

Hellebuyck’s path to New Jersey would instead rely on draft capital rather than free-agent dollars. The three first-round picks remain available precisely because the organization has not yet committed them elsewhere. Sending two or three of those selections plus Markstrom’s salary relief would constitute the type of package that could pry the star netminder from Winnipeg.

Remaining roster gaps

New Jersey still must fill multiple positions before contending for the Stanley Cup. Goaltending represents the clearest single-point fix, yet defense and bottom-six forward depth remain unresolved. Trading Markstrom does not solve every issue, but it removes one variable that has not produced consistent results over two seasons.

The Devils finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division in 2025-26. That standing left them outside the postseason and accelerated the front-office change. A new starting goaltender would not guarantee a division title, yet it would raise the floor for a group that has underperformed expectations since acquiring Markstrom.

Any Markstrom trade will not return top-end assets. The value lies instead in the flexibility gained and the ability to pivot immediately to either free agency or a targeted trade for an established starter. That pivot aligns with Mehta’s mandate to accelerate the team’s trajectory.