After an ugly 2022-23 season, Jacob Markstrom has returned to form for the Calgary Flames in 2023-24. Through 36 appearances, he owns a 2.58 goals against average (GAA) paired with a .914 save percentage (SV%). Even more impressive is his goals saved above expected (GSAx) of 32.59, which leads all NHL goaltenders.
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Markstrom’s bounce-back season is catching the eyes of fans and teams around the league, as there has been trade interest in him as we approach the March 8th deadline. Perhaps most meaningful for Markstrom is that it has also caught the eye of one of the best goalies to ever play the game.
Brodeur a Big Fan of Markstrom
That goaltender happens to be Martin Brodeur, who doesn’t need much of an introduction to hockey fans. The New Jersey Devils legend has the most wins in league history with 691, and also racked up five William M. Jenning’s Trophies, as well as four Vezina’s. The 51-year-old was a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer in 2018.
Recently, Brodeur was asked who he would consider to be the top-five goalies currently in the NHL. While the question certainly put him on the spot, he wound up coming up with the list and included Markstrom’s name in it.
“The top five goalies currently in the NHL would be [Andrei] Vasilevskiy, [Igor] Shesterkin, [Ilya] Sorokin, Adin Hill,” Brodeur said. “For the fifth one… I’ll go with Markstrom.”
While the names listed are all very good goaltenders, the one snub fans were quick to mention was Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. While Hellebuyck should absolutely be on that list, Brodeur, as previously mentioned, was asked to name them unexpectedly.
Markstrom Involved in Trade Talks
While the Flames aren’t in any major rush to move Markstrom, given that he has two additional seasons remaining on his contract, there has been plenty of speculation that he could be on the move. With the Flames not expected to be competing for a Stanley Cup in the near future, general manager Craig Conroy would be able to get a significant haul for him to improve this team years down the road.
Though there are several teams that could use goaltending help, the New Jersey Devils are the ones showing the most interest at this time. Whether or not a deal is made ahead of the deadline remains to be seen, though waiting for the offseason may be an even smarter move by Conroy, as it would allow for more teams to make offers and help increase the asking price.
As aware as both teams and fans are when it comes to Markstrom’s game, having one of the best goalies of all time say he is top five in the world may truly help the Flames get even more in a possible trade return. Game recognizes game, as the saying goes, and it is clear that Brodeur holds a ton of respect for Markstrom. You have to wonder if that could influence the Devils, given that Brodeur is currently their executive vice president of business development. Though that isn’t specifically a hockey role, you know the front office would listen to him when it comes to his advice on goaltenders.
Full Credit to Markstrom for Bouncing Back
It may be hard to remember, but at this time last season, Flames fans were coming down hard on Markstrom. He struggled immensely in 2022-23, and what made matters all the worse for him was that he completely collapsed in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs versus the Edmonton Oilers. It couldn’t have been easy to remain confident and motivated entering 2023-24, but Markstrom has been able to dig in deep and not only play much better but completely win back a fanbase.
