Talks reportedly intensify with Leafs/Flames about Jacob Markstrom
Photo credit: Candice Ward - USA Today Sports
With the Leafs rumoured to be entering the market for a starting goaltender, a new frontrunner has emerged as talks have intensified around Jacob Markstrom.
The Maple Leafs haven't really had a number one goaltender patrolling their blue paint for quite some time. You can make the argument that Frederik Andersen has been their best goalie over nearly the last two decades and that in it of itself could be a reason as to why they haven't found much success in the post-season.
There are a myriad of issues when looking over the roster like the high-priced superstars, the lack of depth, the constant blueline turnover, and the goaltending is good but not great. This summer could be prime time for Treliving and company to make that necessary change with several marquee names available on the open market.
One of those names is Jacob Markstrom of the Calgary Flames and many believe, including Elliotte Friedman, that the Maple Leafs will absolutely have interest in trying to lure him over.
"I know deals with Toronto and Calgary are kind of complicated, but the GM in Toronto is the guy who signed Markstrom in Calgary and, just on paper, a Markstrom-Woll combination is a pretty good combination. So, I look at that and I say, 'I could see why a team like Toronto would be interested in that, potentially."
The Maple Leafs believe highly in Joseph Woll but the 25-year-old netminder has dealt with his fair share of injuries and they don't believe he's necessarily ready to take the reigns as the number one goaltender - just yet. Markstrom would come in with 2 years remaining on his contract and at a healthy AAV of $6 million.
Craig Conroy and the Flames are knee deep in a rebuild after having traded the likes of Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev, and Elias Lindholm this past season. It was believed that a deal with the New Jersey Devils involving Markstorm was all set and done until the Flames backed out at the last second - much to the chagrin of the Swedish netminder.
Markstrom has had a bit of a shaky couple of seasons, but he's not too far removed from his 2021-22 season that saw him finish 2nd in the Vezina Trophy voting race. 2 years prior to that, he also finished 4th in the Vezina Trophy vote as a member of the Vancouver Canucks.
He'll be 35-years-old in January, but he would provide the Leafs with a solid lead option to Joseph Woll's 1B for a short period of time until he walks into unrestricted free agency in a couple of years and/or when Woll is ready to take over.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 11 | 385 ANSWERS Talks reportedly intensify with Leafs/Flames about Jacob Markstrom Should the Leafs make a splash and trade for Jacob Markstrom? | ||
| Yes, perfect fit salary-wise and term-wise | 146 | 37.9 % |
| No, he's overrated and would cost too much | 157 | 40.8 % |
| Let Woll start as 1A and find a better 1B | 82 | 21.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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