The New Jersey Devils’ 2025-26 season was a whirlwind of unpredictability, featuring no shortage of injuries, instability, and scoring slumps. Despite making a decent push at the very end of the season, they were unable to secure a postseason spot. Finishing the season 42-37-3, the Devils are looking to have an active offseason as they try to take another step toward becoming a serious Stanley Cup contender.
All season long, every player on the roster contributed one way or another, with some making a greater impact than others. This installment focuses on goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who had a tumultuous season while dealing with lingering injuries.
2025-26 Performance
It’s safe to say that Markstrom’s 2025-26 season did not turn out as fans had hoped. Instead of having a reliable veteran starting in net, he struggled to find consistency — much like the rest of the team. He began the season 2-1-0 and averaged a save percentage (SV%) of .852. However, he suffered a lower-body injury on the road against the Columbus Blue Jackets, shortly after stepping in for Jake Allen.
As a result, Markstrom missed six games, and his return was nothing short of disastrous. At the end of October, he let in eight goals against the Colorado Avalanche, and his stats did not improve much from there. He allowed an average of three goals against per game in November, then went 2-5-1 in December. Even after the new year, he continued to struggle, with an abysmal performance against the New York Islanders, which resulted in a 9-0 shutout loss.
Compared to last season, his stats plummeted across the board. He finished with an .883 SV% and a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.07. And looking at data from NHL Edge, it becomes clear just how much Markstrom struggled. His high-danger SV% ranked below the 50th percentile among the league’s goaltenders, and he recorded a SV% above .900 in just 34.9% of his starts this season.
But the reason for his disappointing season was revealed at the beginning of April. Markstrom was shut down for the remainder of 2025-26 to address nagging injuries. The hope is that he will start the rehab and recovery process early in order to be ready in time for training camp this September.
Impact for the Devils
When the Devils acquired Markstrom in June of 2024, it appeared that the organization was finally addressing their lack of steady goaltending. In exchange for the veteran goalie, New Jersey sent their first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, along with defenseman Kevin Bahl. At the time, Markstrom had two seasons remaining in his contract, which held a $6 million cap hit.
He had the option to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after 2025-26, but previous general manager (GM) Tom Fitzgerald had other plans. At the end of October, he inked a two-year extension, worth $12 million. The decision was met with intense scrutiny after Markstrom’s performance for the remainder of the season, especially when taking his age and modified no-trade clause into consideration.
A leader on – and off – the ice.
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) November 1, 2025
Marky believes in Jersey, and the team's excited he's locked in for two more years: https://t.co/lv8h94kPJE pic.twitter.com/zeBcVEZ9FG
It’s clear that his time in New Jersey hasn’t been easy, but he’s also suffered from various injuries during his tenure. At his best, Markstrom has shown some elite goaltending, but the big question is whether or not his peak performance is sustainable — if he can stay healthy for an entire season.
Nonetheless, he has proven himself as a capable starting goaltender numerous times. For example, he recorded two three-game win streaks in March, then earned his first shutout of the season with a 3-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens. Not to mention his top-notch performance versus the Los Angeles Kings, where he stopped a total of 43 shots and led the team to a 4-1 victory in November.
All in all, Markstrom can be the veteran star that the Devils need, so long as he makes a full recovery and focuses on staying healthy.
Future in New Jersey
Even though he’s received ample criticism, Markstrom will most likely stay with the Devils for the near future. The team should refrain from any kind of hasty decisions that would leave them without a starting goaltender, given that the club is still undecided over what to do with Nico Daws. But even if they wanted to move him, Markstrom has a 20-team no-trade list for 2026-27, making any sort of trade extremely difficult until the following season.
During his exit interview, he claimed that the only way to move is forward, with the right components and a better mindset. “It’s a tough league, it’s a fast game…We need everyone to be healthy, and that starts with a good offseason, less injuries, more wins, and more consistency,” said Markstrom.
Looking ahead to next season, his performance will play a major role in whether or not the Devils have any chance of making it to the postseason. Hopefully, he’ll be able to pull off a redemption arc for 2026-27.
Overall Grade
All things considered, Markstrom’s final grade for this season is a C. He had moments of strength, but couldn’t seem to find his footing during the second half of the season. Lingering injuries, missing time, and struggling in low-danger situations all contributed to a volatile performance. But now that the team has something to prove, they’ll look to their starting goalie to set the tone for future success.
Regardless, fans should be optimistic about what he can bring to the table next season, in terms of his veteran stability and experience. Can he rise to the challenge for 2026-27? Or will he fall victim to inconsistency once more?
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