Devils’ Jacob Markstrom to Miss Extended Time Following Collision With Bruins’ Justin Brazeau
The New Jersey Devils have suffered a massive blow between the pipes.
While hosting the Boston Bruins at the Prudential Center on Wednesday, goaltender Jacob Markstrom was forced to leave due to injury in the second period after forward Justin Brazeau collided with him while driving to the net. He attempted to redirect a cross-ice pass as he entered the crease, losing his balance on the play.
After stopping the puck, Markstrom remained down on the ice and required assistance down the tunnel from the Devils’ training staff and teammate Stefan Noesen. The 34-year-old netminder could barely put any weight on his left leg as he departed.
In a classy gesture, Bruins defenceman Nikita Zadorova – his former teammate with the Calgary Flames – and goaltender Jeremy Swayman skated over to check on Markstrom by New Jersey’s bench before he exited the contest.
Devils backup netminder Jake Allen replaced Markstrom, who stopped six of the seven shots he faced prior to the collision with Brazeau, resulting in a two-minute penalty for goaltender interference. New Jersey won 5-1 over Boston, with Allen making 16 saves in relief.
“We’ll take some time before we know the full extent on [Markstrom],” head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters post-game Wednesday. “I talked to him. He is in good spirits. He’s feeling a lot better than before, so that’s positive.
“He’s going to miss some time.”
Losing Markstrom is devastating for the Devils, as he’s been among their leading stars this season. In his first season with the team, the Swedish netminder has produced a 2.20 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage, earning three shutouts and a 21-9-5 record in 36 starts.
Additionally, he ranks 11th league-wide in goals saved above expected with 11.3, according to MoneyPuck.
The 6-foot-6 goaltender arrived in New Jersey over the summer via trade from Calgary, which received a 2025 first-round pick and defenceman Kevin Bahl in return. His arrival marked the completion of the franchise’s rebuilt goaltending corps, beginning with last season’s acquisition of Allen from the Montreal Canadiens.
With Markstrom on the shelf, Allen will be relied upon as the Devils’ No. 1 goalie moving forward, starting with Saturday’s showdown against his former team in Montreal. It’ll be the first time he faces his old teammates since last March’s trade.
New Jersey has seven games left to play before the league’s two-week stoppage arrives for the Four Nations Face-Off tournament, which begins on February 12th. If Markstrom doesn’t return before then, his next chance to return will be toward the end of next month.
In the meantime, the Devils will likely recall Nico Daws from AHL Utica to serve as Allen’s backup. The 24-year-old has previously been up with the team this season, but he’s yet to appear in an NHL game since last season. He’s posted a 3.27 GAA and a .892 SV% with one shutout in 18 games with the Comets in 2024-25.
If Markstrom remains on the shelf through the remainder of the regular season, the Devils – who enter Thursday’s slate third in the Metro Division with 60 points and a 27-17-6 record – can place his $4.125-million cap hit on LTIR, providing valuable cap space ahead of the Mar. 7 trade deadline.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: Jenn G. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.