Florida Panthers Acquire Jacob Markstrom in Five-Player Trade The Florida Panthers are finalizing a five-player trade with the New Jersey Devils to acquire goaltender Jacob Markstrom, according to reports from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The deal will send forwards Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves to New Jersey in exchange for Markstrom and forward Angus Crookshank. No salary was retained on Markstrom’s contract, per LeBrun. Rodrigues, Boqvist, and Crookshank each have one year remaining on their contracts, while Steeves is set to become a restricted free agent. The trade marks a significant move for the Panthers, who are bolstering their goaltending depth after acquiring Akira Schmid from the Vegas Golden Knights earlier this week. This acquisition sets the stage for former Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky to hit the open market on Wednesday, as his performance in the 2025-26 season has fallen below expectations. Bobrovsky, 37, had a career-low save percentage of .877 in the 2025-26 season, the lowest of any goaltender with at least 50 games played this season. Despite posting four shutouts, his struggles came amid a season marked by injuries and lineup changes. The 2024 Stanley Cup champion had previously delivered strong performances, including a .915 save percentage in 2023-24 and leading the NHL with six shutouts. His .905 save percentage in the 2024-25 regular season and five shutouts helped Florida secure a second consecutive Cup, but his recent decline has raised questions about his long-term viability. Markstrom, 36, is expected to provide a stabilizing presence for the Panthers. He recorded 23 wins and a .883 save percentage in 44 appearances this season, a career-low for him.#florida_panthers #new_jersey_devils #jacob_markstrom #sergei_bobrovsky #angus_crookshank
