Sportsnet Insider Elliotte Friedman dropped a significant piece of trade news on Saturday. He revealed that New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and Calgary Flames General Manager Craig Conroy engaged in serious discussions about a potential trade involving 34-year-old goaltender Jacob Markstrom. While the teams have not officially commented on the talks, Friedman detailed the situation during Saturday Headlines.
Friedman clarified that it’s unclear whether Markstrom was informed about the discussions (we believe he wasn’t). That said, the two teams had substantial conversations leading up to a recent game. The primary considerations were the trade package required to acquire Markstrom and the issue of salary retention. Although the discussions were serious, the likelihood of the trade materializing appears to have diminished significantly.
Friedman noted:
“There are a couple of things I want to make clear here. No.1, I don’t know that this ever was taken to Markstrom. So, I don’t know if he ever got involved. But, I do think the two teams talked about this quite seriously and I think there were a couple of issues. One, of course, was the package it would take to get him and the other was retention. Now, is it still possible? I just heard it’s really tough to do, really difficult, and it stopped in its tracks. But, the two sides did talk, I believe there were some serious conversations, and we’ll see if it picks up. Although, it just sounds today like it’s unlikely.”
The Devils Have Been Looking for a Starting Goaltender
Fitzgerald is actively exploring options to enhance the Devils’ goaltending situation. According to Friedman, the deal became quite complicated. Those challenges have reportedly halted progress. While Markstrom is enjoying a stellar season and is open to considering a trade, ongoing obstacles make it uncertain if more talks will take place.
This report of trade talks between the two sides brings attention to Markstrom’s high trade value at the peak ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. The Flames have not approached Markstrom about any potential deals and he remains a key player for the Calgary Flames. As the deadline approaches, that may change. Calgary is only going to take a trade offer to Markstrom if they get a deal they think is close and might benefit both sides. That they never talked to Markstrom about waiving his no-trade means this didn’t get close enough to reach out to him.
Next: McDavid Drops Big Hint About Goaltending Plans for Oilers
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