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Devils Trade Markstrom to Panthers, Acquire Two Cup Winning Forwards
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- Devils Trade Markstrom to Panthers, Acquire Two Cup Winning Forwards
The New Jersey Devils have completed a multi-player deal with the Florida Panthers , sending goaltender Jacob Markstrom and winger Angus Crookshank to Florida in exchange for forward Evan Rodrigues , center Jesper Boqvist , and prospect Ben Steeves. No salary is being retained by New Jersey on Markstrom's contract, meaning the Panthers assume the full cap hit moving forward.
Markstrom, who holds a full no-trade clause sees his trade protection downgrade to a 20-team no-trade list effective July 1. The 36-year-old netminder returns to the organization that originally drafted him back in 2008, providing Florida with a veteran presence in goal amid uncertainty surrounding Sergei Bobrovsky 's pending unrestricted free agency.
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On the return side, the Devils add immediate forward depth and a prospect.
Rodrigues has one year remaining on his contract with a $3,075,000 AAV. The versatile 33-year-old has carved out a role as a reliable middle-six contributor who can play up and down the lineup and help on special teams. Boqvist, a former Devils draft pick who won a Stanley Cup with Florida, brings familiarity and bottom-six energy after spending recent seasons bouncing between depth roles in Boston and South Florida. He's in the last year of his contract with a $1.5 million AAV.
Steeves, a young AHL scorer with the Charlotte Checkers, adds upside as a goal-scoring winger who has shown promise in the minors.
This move gives New Jersey a little more breathing room under the cap, bringing their cap space to $12,977,500 while reshaping their forward group and goaltending picture. After a season where the crease lacked consistency, the club can now lean more heavily on options like Jake Allen and Nico Daws —or look outside the organization for help. Crookshank, a recent addition to New Jersey who showed flashes in limited NHL action, heads out as part of the package—another piece in what looks like a broader roster refresh ahead of free agency.
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For the Panthers, landing Markstrom answers their goaltending questions at a key time.
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