The New Jersey Devils have traded goaltender Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers, a move that signals the likely end of Sergei Bobrovsky's tenure with Florida. The Panthers acquired Markstrom on Tuesday in a deal that also sent winger Angus Crookshank to New Jersey.
Florida also received goalie Akira Schmid from Vegas on Monday night for a 2028 third-round pick. The Panthers' acquisition of two goaltenders in quick succession indicates a shift in their goaltending strategy, with Bobrovsky, 37, having been instrumental in the team's recent successes, including back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025, and a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2023.
Markstrom, 36, is entering the first year of a two-year contract with an annual salary cap hit of $6 million. His trade marks the first significant roster change for the Devils' new general manager, Sunny Mehta. The Devils now have Jake Allen in net and are expected to seek a goaltending partner for him in the upcoming free agency period.
As part of the trade, the Panthers sent forward Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist to the Devils. Rodrigues, who is approaching his 33rd birthday, provides the Devils with another forward option for their top nine. This move comes after the Panthers acquired Brady Tkachuk from Ottawa, who is expected to play alongside his brother, Matthew.
In other NHL transactions, the St. Louis Blues placed winger Jonathan Drouin on unconditional waivers for the purpose of buying out the final year of his contract. Drouin was acquired by the Blues at the trade deadline from the New York Islanders as part of the return for Brayden Schenn.