Be it now or in the future, the New Jersey Devils and newly appointed general manager Sunny Mehta will need to find a legitimate solution to their ongoing struggles in goal.
Veteran Jacob Markstrom has shown clear signs of decline, yet still received a two-year, $12 million extension under former GM Tom Fitzgerald. Meanwhile, backup Jake Allen has been solid in a reserve role in recent seasons, but he is also nearing the later stages of his career. It remains uncertain how long he can sustain that level of play, and in any case, the Devils still lack a dependable long-term starter.
Still, there is a possibility the Devils could unexpectedly find an answer, especially with Quinn Hughes potentially offering insight on scouting if needed.
Minnesota Wild goaltending prospect Jesper Wallstedt recently took over starting duties for the team’s first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars, with John Hynes opting to keep Filip Gustavsson in a backup role.
When The Athletic attempted to speak with Gustavsson, he instead directed them to “talk to the players who are playing.”
That doesn’t necessarily indicate the Wild are looking to move him, but Minnesota has explored forward upgrades in recent seasons. With Wallstedt now handling starting duties, it appears unlikely Gustavsson will reclaim the net long-term barring injury or other unforeseen circumstances.
The 27-year-old has experienced inconsistency throughout his career, posting a .931 save percentage in 2022-23, followed by .899 in 2023-24, then rebounding to .914 with a career-high five shutouts in 2024-25, before dipping to .904 this season amid a rough finish.
What makes his situation more intriguing is that Gustavsson’s five-year, $34 million extension ($6.8 million AAV) begins on July 1, a significant jump from his previous $3.75 million cap hit. If Minnesota chooses to redirect that money toward offensive help—and if Gustavsson is open to a starting opportunity elsewhere given his full no-move clause—a trade scenario becomes at least plausible.
For the Devils, Jake Allen holds a full no-trade clause until 2027-28, but Markstrom’s situation shifts once his $6 million cap hit and extension kick in July 1, reducing his protection to a 20-team no-trade list. While Minnesota wouldn’t likely move a goalie simply to save $800K in cap space, Devils management could explore aggressive options, including retaining up to $3 million on Markstrom’s deal for a couple of seasons.
It’s not an ideal setup for a cap-constrained Devils team that also needs to re-sign RFAs Arseny Gritsyuk and Simon Nemec, but there are multiple paths they could explore to address a critical need in net.
Players such as Dawson Mercer, Maxim Tsyplakov, Dougie Hamilton, Johnny Kovacevic, Nick Bjugstad, and Stefan Noesen could all be on uncertain footing heading into the offseason.
With Mikhail Yegorov needing proper development time, New Jersey urgently requires a short-to-midterm solution in goal, and Gustavsson represents one of the more realistic options available across the league.
This article was originally published on pucksandpitchforks.com as NHL Trade Rumors: New Jersey Devils could luck into $34 million goalie solution.
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