New Jersey Devils looking to re-sign Jacob Markstrom
New Jersey Devils President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald joins TFP Hotstove on Sirius XM NHL Network Radio along with Dave Pagnotta and Ryan Paton. He was asked about the ongoing contract negotiations between the team and Jacob Markstrom and how things are progressing.
** Transcribed by NHLRumors.com
Dave Pannotta: “My last piece, quick back to Jacob Markstrom. There have been reports all week about talks about him becoming a UFA in the summer. Talks about an extension. Is there anything you’d like to share with us about how that’s going?”
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Tom Fitzgerald: “We love Jacob and his wife Amanda. We want them to be a member of the Devils for as long as possible. I know the feeling is mutual. His agent and I had real healthy communication, real healthy negotiations. Different ideas were exchanged over the contract. But the fact is, he’s 35 and he’s going to be 36 and there are different rules for players that age and older. So, from an organizational standpoint, you want to protect your shortcomings but also reward the players.”
But there’s no question we all want to do that. We want to get it done. I would be remiss if I didn’t contact his agent as soon as possible. I think once the injury happens, let it breathe here. There’s no question from our side that we want Jacob and Amanda Markstrom to be part of our family moving forward. I believe Jacob and Amanda want to be a part of this family moving forward. “
NHLRumors.com NOTE:
Tom Fitzgerald obviously wants to keep his goaltending duo together. He signed a unique five-year contract with Jake Allen for $1.8 million per season.
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According to Kevin Weekes, the Devils’ original offer to Markstrom was for four years and $5 million. However, there are still gaps to be filled. Whether this disparity is money or the length of the deal remains to be seen.
However, with Markstrom out of the lineup, many are wondering if his past injuries will impact the numbers on his next contract. As Fitzgerald mentioned, Markstrom is back skating, but he’s dealing with a lower-body injury on a weekly basis.
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