On goaltending targets, adding bite up front, and more

Pierre LeBrun spoke to Tom Fitzgerald about the Devils' search for a goaltender, adding edge up front, and more. I have some thoughts.

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With the help of Tom Fitzgerald, Pierre LeBrun spilled the tea on what the New Jersey Devils are looking to do this off-season.

A handful of notes stood out from LeBrun’s latest at The Athletic. Let’s get right to them.

While Fitzgerald wouldn’t get into names, other league sources said he continues to show interest in Jacob Markstrom from the Calgary Flames, whom he tried hard to acquire before the March 8 trade deadline, as well as Linus Ullmark from the Boston Bruins. There are other possibilities, too, but those two names would top New Jersey’s list.

Juuse Saros is the cream of the crop as far as potentially available goaltenders go. He’s naturally had his name linked to the Devils as a result.

That Markstrom and Ullmark reportedly top the Devils’ wishlist gives credence to the thought Saros simply might not be a fit due to price.

It’s going to cost a war chest of assets to pry him from the Predators. It’s also going to cost in the ballpark of $9 million per season to extend him, which is a lot to fit in when the team already has a handful of expensive core players and still needs to address other needs. Fitzgerald hinted at just that the other day.

Markstrom makes $6 million for two more seasons while Ullmark makes $5 million next season before getting a raise to (likely) the $6.5 million range.

Those salaries would make it easier for the Devils to properly fill another hole, or keep players around, that they couldn’t if they acquired Saros.