Jacob Markstrom out 4-6 weeks with MCL sprain

This is close to the best possible outcome for the New Jersey Devils.

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The New Jersey Devils received some great news on the injury front as star goaltender Jacob Markstrom will only miss 4-6 weeks with an MCL sprain.

Given how ugly the injury looked – and how promptly Markstrom made his way to the locker room – this is about the best possible outcome.

Now, losing Markstrom for any period is still a big blow. The Devils have not played their best hockey of late and Markstrom has performed at a very high level this season.

He ranks 7th in high-danger save percentage, 3rd in quality starts, and only Connor Hellebuyck has posted fewer ‘Really Bad Starts’ among the most used goaltenders in the league.

From Thursday’s post:

Markstrom has been ‘credited’ with just three Really Bad Starts, a minuscule number considering he’s made 36.

For perspective, Jake Oettinger has eight RBS’s through 35 starts. Igor Shesterkin has seven through 33. Filip Gustavsson has five. I could go on.

Of the 19 goaltenders to start at least 29 times thus far, only Connor Hellebuyck (2) has posted fewer RBS’s than Markstrom (3). And Mackenzie Blackwood (4) is the only other guy who fits the criteria below five.

Losing Markstrom absolutely stings but the Devils only play seven more games before the Four Nations tournament, which will buy them another couple of weeks.

If he recovers quickly, we’re looking at seven missed games. If he takes five weeks, we’re talking about ~10 games. Worst case scenario, he shouldn’t miss more than 13.

Let’s meet in the middle and say he misses 10. Realistically speaking, Jake Allen probably would handle three of those games anyway.

So, under the mid-tier assumption, the Devils would have to play ~seven games without Markstrom that they didn’t bargain for. That’s hardly an untenable ask.