Panthers and Devils Nearing a Deal That Could Reshape Florida’s Net

The Florida Panthers are about to flip their goaltending situation upside down. Again.

Reports out of New Jersey Tuesday morning say the Panthers and Devils are working on a trade that would send veteran netminder Jacob Markstrom to Florida in exchange for forward Evan Rodrigues. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman broke the news first, calling it a deal both sides are actively trying to finish.

Friedman didn’t get into specifics on what else might be moving, but other insiders — Pierre LeBrun and Kevin Weekes among them — have confirmed the talks are real. How close this thing actually is? Hard to say. But it’s not just chatter anymore.

Why This Trade Makes Sense for Both Sides

For the Panthers, the logic is pretty direct. Markstrom gives them a proven starter who can handle a heavy workload. He’s big, he’s experienced, and he doesn’t rattle easily. Florida just acquired Akira Schmid from Vegas on Monday, so you’re looking at a goalie room that could go from Sergei Bobrovsky to Markstrom and Schmid in about 24 hours. That’s a fast rebuild of a position group that needed one.

For New Jersey, Rodrigues brings versatility. He can slot in basically anywhere in the top nine, kill penalties, and he’s got a ring from his time in Florida. The Devils need forward depth and Rodrigues gives them exactly that without costing a first-round pick or a top prospect.

The End of the Bobrovsky Era

This move basically seals it for Sergei Bobrovsky. The Russian goalie helped drag the Panthers to three straight Stanley Cup Finals, winning two of them (2024 and 2025). But at 36 years old and with his contract expiring Wednesday, the writing was already on the wall.

TSN’s Chris Johnston put it bluntly: “The writing was already on the wall, but the trades for Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid close the book on Sergei Bobrovsky’s time in Florida.” Bobrovsky hits unrestricted free agency in less than 24 hours. There’s mutual respect there, sure. But the Panthers moved on fast.

It’s a cold business. Bobrovsky was the backbone of two Cup runs. He made huge saves in huge moments. But Florida’s front office clearly decided they couldn’t wait around while other teams scooped up the available goalies on the market.

No word yet on whether the deal includes salary retention or draft picks. But if it goes through, the Panthers will have reinvented their crease overnight. And the Devils will have added a smart, tough forward who knows how to win.

We’ll update this when more details come in.