They are doing it now because the East is as open as it will get. This team isn't as bad as it was last year. Everything went wrong. Bad coach. Injuries galore. And goalies that couldn't stop anything. Now we got a very good coach, health is always a question no one can secure, but we got a goalie now so we can be even pushing for ECF. If we had a 25th overall pick this year, I'd have moved that as how many guys in the 20s really become game changers. We still have wingers like Filmon and Gritsyuk coming soon.

My first thought on this was surprise that Calgary didn’t get more for him, considering the number of teams that seem to need a proven #1 goalie. However, you never know what you’re going to get when you acquire a new goalie, he’s 34 years old, and like too many Flames, he’s two years removed from his last great season. He also has a no-move clause and signing bonuses that make it more difficult to get rid of him if he doesn’t work out in New Jersey. Don’t get me wrong – this is still a good move for the Devils, and it should help put them back in the playoffs – but I think they paid a fair price.

Everybody seems to accept that moving on from Markstrom is a good move for Calgary, and I agree, even though I don’t know what they’re going to do with the cap space. I might have been inclined to give Wolf one more year to develop, but I don’t think they would have got as much for Markstrom if they didn’t trade him now, and I doubt they’re a playoff team next season regardless of who’s in goal, so there’s no need to keep him.