Calgary Flames Sign Goaltender Jacob Markstrom

The Calgary Flames appear to have their true number one goaltender heading into next season. The Flames have reportedly signed free agent goaltender Jacob Markstrom to a 6-year contract worth $36 million or an average of $6 million per year over the contract.

The Flames moved on from Cam Talbot this afternoon as he signed a three-year contract with the Wild and the terms of Markstrom contract clearly put him ahead of David Rittich on the Flames depth chart. Whether Rittich remains with the Flames as a backup or becomes trade fodder remains to be seen.

Markstrom comes to Calgary with a very solid resume after the last four seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. In that stretch he is yet to have a save percentage dip below .900 and he's been durable as well. The native of Sweden played in 43 games during the abbreviated 2019-20 season and before that he had two back-to-back 60-game campaigns.

The only potential questionable part of this contract are the terms. Six years is a long time to commit to a goaltender who is already 30 years old, but the Flames must feel that he is their true number one until one of their goaltenders in the minors is NHL ready.

(stats from Hockey DB)

by Mark Parkinson