Quote:
Originally Posted by TrentCrimmIndependent
At least you admit a 29 year old Markstrom would be a worthwhile gamble.
However, he's showing that he's still capable of playing at a very high level. He's more than likely still capable for 2 years (maybe just with a slightly reduced workload to handle wear).
He's been solid since the puck dropped in October. That's a long stretch to look top tier. We here saw his terrible season first-hand, and experienced all the pain of him letting the team down, and he has made believers of even his biggest critics here. Not a peep from them since around training camp because he's been that solid.
Given that last year coincided with the pregnancy then birth of his first child, I'd say it had a lot to do with it. There was an uptick in his quality of play right after his kid was born which lends more credence to it.
Don't see him regressing to that level again because that was a one time type of stressor that understandably interfered with him mentally.
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And what happens if his wife gets pregnant again?
Markstrom had quite a lot of value (I personally would have been happy if NJD paid multiple 1sts for him with retention early in the year and up to the deadline)
But that window has passed imo. Going into next year there are no guarantees, or even anything close to a guarantee (How many would have predicted the significant regressions from Vasy, Saros, Oettinger, and Sorokin this year. I'd bet close to 0, maybe a few on vasy because of the surgery).
At 35, I think he's a worthwhile shot at 6 mill. Not something I'd pay the moon for.
In the final year of his deal, honestly I view him as a negative value asset at age 36 and 6 mill.
I'd rather go after Saros, Shesty, Ullmark, Georgiev, Adin Hill, Logan Thompson, etc in UFA than have a 36 year old Markstrom.
I could see someone doing it, but I wouldn't pay a 1st for Markstrom without retention anymore.
Markstrom COULD be good at age 36, but very few 36 year olds in the recent past have been able to play quality hockey while maintaining a starters workload.