Devils Goaltender Among 2024-25 Vezina Trophy Favorites
Heading into the 2024-25 season, fans of the New Jersey Devils can feel confident about their goaltending for the first time in a long time. General Manager Tom Fitzgerald made sure to strengthen his teams weakest wall by acquiring goaltender Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. In tandem with Jake Allen, the Devils are significantly stronger in the crease as opposed to last season. As for Markstrom, he’s among the leading candidates for the best goaltender in 2024-25.
Last season, the Devils went into 2023-24 with a tandem of Vitek Vanacek and Akira Schmid. Now, both are no longer with the Devils organization, Vanacek being traded to the San Jose Sharks, and Schmid dealt in a package to the Vegas Golden Knights. It’s a completely new look for the Devils’ crease, who very well may have one of the best goaltending tandems in the NHL.
According to recent odds, Markstrom owns the third-best odds (+1100) to win the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the goaltender “adjudged to be the best at his position.”
Winnipeg Jets goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, won the award for 2023-24.
Markstrom had a strong season for the Flames in 2023-24 despite the struggles he faced at the end of the season. In 48 regular season games, he amassed a 2.78 goals against average (GAA), and .905 save percentage (SV%) while posting two shutouts. Those are strong numbers for a 34-year-old netminder who played in front of a Flames team who traded off many of it’s primary parts and showed poor defensive efforts in front of their net.
