Devils New Goalie Brings One Key Stat

The New Jersey Devils' new starting goaltender is one of the best in the league in one key statistic.

Apr 16, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom (25) makes a save on Vancouver Canucks forward Dakota Joshua (81) in the third period at Rogers Arena. Canucks won 4 -1. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports / Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

The New Jersey Devils' biggest and most impactful move of the offseason was acquiring goaltender Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames. The Devils and Markstrom were linked via trade talks for months, but the summer was the perfect time for the trade to finally happen. With Markstrom's arrival in New Jersey, they finally have a starting netminder that they can rely on.

Markstrom's career record and resume speaks for itself, making the Devils' decision an easy one. He has 468 career starts, earning 215 career wins despite playing on some horrid teams over his career. He's collected a career goals against average of 2.73 and a .909 save percentage.

In his two playoff appearances, he was rock solid as well. With the Vancouver Canucks in 2019-2020, he won eight games over two rounds, including a shutout victory as part of a surprising run in the postseason. A few seasons later with the Flames, he again was dependable in net as the team fell in the second round.

One of the reasons Markstrom excels and is so reliable is he consistently is one of the NHL's best goaltenders during high danger situations. According to NHL EDGE, the league's home for player statistics, defines a high danger shot as "the area within 29 feet of the center of the goal and bound on both sides by an imaginary line drawn from the faceoff dot to 2 feet outside the goalpost." The same way normal save percentage is applied to calculate a save percentage for each different danger area (high, mid-range, low).

For Markstrom, the high danger zone is where he dials in. Over the last three seasons, which is the extent NHL EDGE's data goes back, Markstrom is nearly unbeatable when shots come at him in close. This past year, he led all eligible goaltenders with a .857 high danger save percentage. In 2021-2022, he was the sixth-best, posting a .853 high danger save percentage.

It makes sense that Markstrom's most difficult to beat up close. He's a massive goaltender, standing at 6'6. He dominates the lower parts of the ice and when he is squared up to a shot, it's nearly impossible for an opposing player to see open net. His size is only highlighted by his quick reflexes and incredibly strong lower-body.

The Devils will be eager to have Markstrom backstopping their team this season. They struggled defensively, and that struggle was only exacerbated by the carousel at goaltending. The organization has made several key moves this summer to bolster their roster, but bringing in Markstrom is undoubtedly the biggest one. They should see that first-hand when he is making saves in tight that the Devils haven't gotten in years.

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