06/30/26 05:46:00
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06/30 13:35 CDT Florida Panthers bring back goaltender Jacob Markstrom in a
trade with the Devils
Florida Panthers bring back goaltender Jacob Markstrom in a trade with the
Devils
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
The Florida Panthers traded for their second goaltender in as many days,
acquiring Jacob Markstrom in a deal with the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday that
all but certainly signals the end of Sergei Bobrovsky's storied run in South
Florida.
The Panthers sent Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist and the rights to pending
restricted free agent Ben Steeves to the Devils for Markstrom and winger Angus
Crookshank. Florida got goalie Akira Schmid from Vegas on Monday night for a
2028 third-round pick.
"Jacob is an established veteran leader in this league who possesses size and a
relentless drive to win," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said. "We are
excited for him to compete alongside our established group and return to South
Florida."
Markstrom at 36 returns to Florida, where he started his NHL career a decade
and a half ago. He was one of the top prospects at the position after getting
taken with the 34th pick in the 2008 draft and played his first 43 games in the
league with the Panthers during their down years, long before becoming a
contender again.
Bobrovsky, 37, backstopped Florida to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in
2024 and '25 and another trip to the final in '23. He is expected to be among
the top players available when free agency opens Wednesday.
Markstrom is beginning a two-year contract at an annual salary cap hit of $6
million. That was signed in late October by former Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald,
who left the organization in April. Moving on from him is the first big roster
shakeup for successor Sunny Mehta. New Jersey now has Jake Allen in net and
will likely go shopping for his tandem mate in free agency.
Rodrigues, who turns 33 on July 28, gives the Devils another top-nine forward.
The Panthers shed his salary of just over $3 million after getting Brady
Tkachuk from Ottawa to play with brother Matthew.
In other moves around the NHL:
--- The St. Louis Blues put winger Jonathan Drouin on unconditional waivers to
buy out the final season of his contract. They got Drouin at the trade deadline
from the New York Islanders as part of the return for Brayden Schenn.
--- Utah signed goalie Sebastian Cossa to a two-year, $4 million contract after
trading a first-round pick to Detroit for his rights.
--- Fresh off winning the Cup, Carolina reacquired defenseman Kyle Masters'
rights from Anaheim for forward Noah Philp. The Hurricanes sent Masters to the
Ducks on Saturday along with a sixth-round pick for the rights to pending free
agent John Carlson.
--- Vegas, which lost to Carolina in the final, made a one-for-one defenseman
swap with Pittsburgh, sending Kaedan Korczak to the Penguins for Parker
Wotherspoon. Pittsburgh is retaining half of Wotherspoon's $1 million salary in
a cap-saving deal for the Golden Knights.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
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