Entering the season, the New Jersey Devils had arguably one of the best goalie tandems in the NHL with Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen. They were excellent last season, feeding off one another. As both guys joked at different times last season, not bad for a couple of old guys.
But the last part is important as both Markstrom and Allen are 35 years old. Remember, Devils President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald just re-signed Allen to a five-year extension at $1.8 million a season to pair with Markstrom, whom the team was trying to extend as well.
The Devils wanted these guys to be the tandem over the next couple of seasons, as New Jersey is in the window where they can win and compete for a Stanley Cup. However, three games into the season, Markstrom is down with a lower-body injury and will be out a couple of weeks, as head coach Sheldon Keefe told the media after practice on Wednesday.
Sheldon Keefe says Jacob Markstrom will miss a couple of weeks #njdevils
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) October 15, 2025
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Markstrom was injured at the end of the Devils’ 3-2 victory on Monday night over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jake Allen left the game after two periods because of cramping, so Markstrom came in to play the third period. Markstrom was fine until the final 20 seconds of the period when he got injured on Dmitri Voronkov‘s goal.
Voronkov and Devils defenseman Brett Pesce were battling at the side of the net when Ivan Provorov‘s shot went off the post. As Markstrom was reaching back to prevent the puck from going in, Pesce fell on his right leg. Markstrom was immediately in pain, but finished the game. However, he did skate off the ice quickly after the final buzzer favoring his right leg.
Last season, Markstrom was out four to six weeks with a sprained MCL in his left leg. The Devils have yet to disclose the nature of the injury, but it now affects Jake Allen and Nico Daws, who was called up to guide the Devils during this early part of the season.
Head coach Sheldon Keefe didn’t seem worried about the injury being long-term for Markstrom.
“He’s going to miss a couple weeks,” Keefe told the media. “I consider it good news based on what had happened – I don’t consider it too serious at this point but he’s going to have miss a little bit of time.”
However, this will be a mental challenge for the Devils, as they need to overcome injuries yet again this season. Every team in the NHL experiences injuries, and this can’t be an excuse for the Devils. They need to overcome this challenge.
The players have faith in both Daws and Allen to guide the team in the absence of Markstrom. Remember, Daws was recalled last season, appearing in six games when Markstrom was injured. He had a record of 3-1-0 with a .939 save percentage and 1.60 goals against average.
Meanwhile, Allen had a record of 4-3-0 during the same stretch from January 24th to March 2nd, 2025, with a .934 save percentage, 2.08 goals against average and two shutouts. These aren’t terrible numbers for a team that is supposed to compete for the playoffs this season.
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The Devils are glad nobody picked up Nico Daws off waivers when he was sent down to the AHL at the beginning of the season. As mentioned during a segment in July on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio with Mick Kern and Johnathan Davis, everyone needs a goaltender, and the Devils are lucky no one picked up a guy who has a proven track record of playing in the NHL.
Goalie depth is so crucial to an organization because you never know when you are going to need it. It will be interesting to see how, if at all, this injury factors into the negotiations between the Devils and Jacob Markstrom as they discuss a new contract extension.
The New Jersey Devils will face a challenge to their depth at the goalie position early in the season. This is a big test that could make or break their season.
The New Jersey Devils will host the Florida Panthers in their home opener on Thursday night.
