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Over 19,000 people made up the "C of Red" inside Scotiabank Saddledome on May 26, 2022.
The Calgary Flames were looking to keep their postseason hopes alive against their rival, the Edmonton Oilers, in a crucial Game 5 of Round 2 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In the net for the Flames was Jacob Markstrom.
As overtime began, "Let's Go Flames" chants echoed throughout the arena.
Markstrom stood tall in his crease, stopping the first shot he faced in sudden death. Minutes later, he saw his defenseman lose the puck along the wall, and Leon Draisaitl passed it to Connor McDavid. The Oilers' captain beat Markstrom low glove side from the slot, ending the goaltender's pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
"It was an emotional series with the Battle of Alberta," Markstrom said. "Emotions were running high for everyone. I think it was tougher (after the loss because) we had a lot of UFAs and guys that didn't end up re-signing.
"It was more that kind of disappointment to know deep down that this team was not going to play together again," he continued. "It was a great group. We had a lot of fun, so I think that was the toughest part of that series."
Now, 1,060 days later, Markstrom is a member of the New Jersey Devils, preparing to return to the postseason as his club gets ready to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.
The veteran goaltender has been in the NHL for 15 seasons and has 26 games of postseason experience. When speaking with The Hockey News, Markstrom explained that his outlook has changed over time as he began to understand how challenging it is to make the playoffs.
"You want to play (in the playoffs) every year," Markstrom shared. "You want to be part of a winning team, but it is really hard. I think I am way more appreciative of it now than I used to be. You think, 'We are going to be good in a few years, and we are going to make the playoffs every year. We are going to go deep.' It is a tough league and tough to make the playoffs. I appreciate knowing this is hard to come by. It makes me try to enjoy it a little bit more and not take it for granted."
At 35 years old, New Jersey's goaltender prefers to stay in the moment and enjoy every second that this postseason run will offer.
As for the games, Markstrom explained that there are not many differences between regular season and playoff hockey.
"I think it is pretty similar, to be honest," he said. "It is going to be a lot more people in front of the net and a lot more whacking and hacking. The pressure is a little higher, and every chance matters. Usually, playoff games are defensively tight. There are not a lot of scoring chances, and people don't want to make mistakes. When a mistake happens, you have to capitalize, or for me, as a goalie, I have to make that extra stop."
While Markstrom tunes out the outside noise and focuses on another opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, many with an outside view believe the goaltender is the key to a Devil's Round 1 victory over the Hurricanes.
Over the 2024-25 regular season, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe and Markstrom's teammates have highlighted the netminder's infectious competitive nature and how that has positively impacted the entire locker room.
"I think it does something for the entire team," defenseman Brenden Dillon explained. "When your goaltender gets fired up like that, the emotions throughout the team get fired up. It is great. I feel like he plays better, too. I think it helps everyone."
That competitive drive was instilled in Markstrom from a young age. His father, Anders, was a goalkeeper who played professionally with Hammarby IF and Gefle IF in Sweden's top league. His mother, Lena, was a handball goalkeeper, and his older brother was a goalkeeper in the Swedish third tier until 2017.
"I think being a younger brother and growing up in a sports-oriented family with soccer being the main sport," Markstrom shared, describing where his competitiveness originated. "It has always been competing about everything."
The first glimpse of just how competitive the 35-year-old is occurred on Oct. 8 at the Devils practice facility in Newark. After being displeased with his performance during a drill, Markstrom smashed his stick over the bench, shattering it into pieces.
That same raw emotion has crept into games, whether it was the Devils' Mar. 24 shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks or New Jersey's 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild days later.
Toward the conclusion of the 2024-25 regular season, The Hockey News asked defenseman Brett Pesce if Markstrom is the most emotional goaltender he has played in front of over his 10-season career.
"Probably, but in the best way possible," Pesce said. "I mean, he is probably one of the most competitive guys I have ever played with. It is definitely fun to play in front of him. You know he is going to battle every night."
Markstrom will be the first to tell you it is all about balance.
"I think it is a fine line," Markstrom explained. "Sometimes, I can get more out of myself and more out of the team if I can be a little bit more vocal and be more aggressive. Then (other times), it helps my game to be more quiet and more focused on what I need to do. It kind of goes up and down throughout the year. There are different moments, and you're going to have to read the room and read the guys."
"You want a guy who can control his emotions," Curtis Lazar said. "I have been very impressed with the way Markstrom does it. I think everyone sees the fire that he has, the odd stick smash here and there, but as soon as he gets off the ice and takes off his gear, it is gone. He doesn't carry any weight."
Beyond that competitive drive, Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur, executive vice president of hockey operations for the Devils, spoke to The Hockey News about Markstrom's athleticism.
"To me, the way he reads the game is pretty impressive in his ability to move from side to side on his knees and stretch out as much as he does," Brodeur said. "He is a big boy, so for him to go in different positions to try to make saves is what impressed me about him the most. A lot of different goalies that are more technical are not going to get out of their comfort zone. (Markstrom) doesn't mind getting out of his comfort zone to make a save."
The Swede's importance to the Devils goes beyond his skills in the crease. On nights when he served as the Devils' backup goaltender, he was an asset to the team on the bench, offering tips and tidbits from what he saw. Additionally, Keefe has boasted about Markstrom's leadership ability.
"He pushes and challenges the group and his teammates in a positive way because he demands greatness, and that's what you really like," he said. "He is a great leader for us in that way, not just in his ability to stop pucks."
With another chance of a championship in front of him, Markstrom will skate onto the ice at Lenovo Center on Sunday afternoon with one thing in mind: a win.
What happened previously does not matter.
Whatever he may have felt about his performance at any point this season does not matter.
"For me, I don't really try to chase a feeling or (say) I gotta go back to playing like I did that time," he said. "I am just pushing to become better and still feel like I am going upwards."
Luckily for Keefe and the Devils, Markstrom is optimistic about the future.
"I feel like I still have my best years ahead of me."
Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes
EXCLUSIVE: Q&A With MSG Networks Host & Analyst Rachel Herzog
Hischier’s Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He’s Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'
Continue reading...
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The Calgary Flames were looking to keep their postseason hopes alive against their rival, the Edmonton Oilers, in a crucial Game 5 of Round 2 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In the net for the Flames was Jacob Markstrom.
As overtime began, "Let's Go Flames" chants echoed throughout the arena.
Markstrom stood tall in his crease, stopping the first shot he faced in sudden death. Minutes later, he saw his defenseman lose the puck along the wall, and Leon Draisaitl passed it to Connor McDavid. The Oilers' captain beat Markstrom low glove side from the slot, ending the goaltender's pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
"It was an emotional series with the Battle of Alberta," Markstrom said. "Emotions were running high for everyone. I think it was tougher (after the loss because) we had a lot of UFAs and guys that didn't end up re-signing.
"It was more that kind of disappointment to know deep down that this team was not going to play together again," he continued. "It was a great group. We had a lot of fun, so I think that was the toughest part of that series."
Now, 1,060 days later, Markstrom is a member of the New Jersey Devils, preparing to return to the postseason as his club gets ready to face the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.
The veteran goaltender has been in the NHL for 15 seasons and has 26 games of postseason experience. When speaking with The Hockey News, Markstrom explained that his outlook has changed over time as he began to understand how challenging it is to make the playoffs.
"You want to play (in the playoffs) every year," Markstrom shared. "You want to be part of a winning team, but it is really hard. I think I am way more appreciative of it now than I used to be. You think, 'We are going to be good in a few years, and we are going to make the playoffs every year. We are going to go deep.' It is a tough league and tough to make the playoffs. I appreciate knowing this is hard to come by. It makes me try to enjoy it a little bit more and not take it for granted."
At 35 years old, New Jersey's goaltender prefers to stay in the moment and enjoy every second that this postseason run will offer.
As for the games, Markstrom explained that there are not many differences between regular season and playoff hockey.
"I think it is pretty similar, to be honest," he said. "It is going to be a lot more people in front of the net and a lot more whacking and hacking. The pressure is a little higher, and every chance matters. Usually, playoff games are defensively tight. There are not a lot of scoring chances, and people don't want to make mistakes. When a mistake happens, you have to capitalize, or for me, as a goalie, I have to make that extra stop."
While Markstrom tunes out the outside noise and focuses on another opportunity to win the Stanley Cup, many with an outside view believe the goaltender is the key to a Devil's Round 1 victory over the Hurricanes.
Over the 2024-25 regular season, Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe and Markstrom's teammates have highlighted the netminder's infectious competitive nature and how that has positively impacted the entire locker room.
"I think it does something for the entire team," defenseman Brenden Dillon explained. "When your goaltender gets fired up like that, the emotions throughout the team get fired up. It is great. I feel like he plays better, too. I think it helps everyone."
That competitive drive was instilled in Markstrom from a young age. His father, Anders, was a goalkeeper who played professionally with Hammarby IF and Gefle IF in Sweden's top league. His mother, Lena, was a handball goalkeeper, and his older brother was a goalkeeper in the Swedish third tier until 2017.
"I think being a younger brother and growing up in a sports-oriented family with soccer being the main sport," Markstrom shared, describing where his competitiveness originated. "It has always been competing about everything."
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The first glimpse of just how competitive the 35-year-old is occurred on Oct. 8 at the Devils practice facility in Newark. After being displeased with his performance during a drill, Markstrom smashed his stick over the bench, shattering it into pieces.
That same raw emotion has crept into games, whether it was the Devils' Mar. 24 shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks or New Jersey's 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild days later.
Toward the conclusion of the 2024-25 regular season, The Hockey News asked defenseman Brett Pesce if Markstrom is the most emotional goaltender he has played in front of over his 10-season career.
"Probably, but in the best way possible," Pesce said. "I mean, he is probably one of the most competitive guys I have ever played with. It is definitely fun to play in front of him. You know he is going to battle every night."
Markstrom will be the first to tell you it is all about balance.
"I think it is a fine line," Markstrom explained. "Sometimes, I can get more out of myself and more out of the team if I can be a little bit more vocal and be more aggressive. Then (other times), it helps my game to be more quiet and more focused on what I need to do. It kind of goes up and down throughout the year. There are different moments, and you're going to have to read the room and read the guys."
"You want a guy who can control his emotions," Curtis Lazar said. "I have been very impressed with the way Markstrom does it. I think everyone sees the fire that he has, the odd stick smash here and there, but as soon as he gets off the ice and takes off his gear, it is gone. He doesn't carry any weight."
Beyond that competitive drive, Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur, executive vice president of hockey operations for the Devils, spoke to The Hockey News about Markstrom's athleticism.
"To me, the way he reads the game is pretty impressive in his ability to move from side to side on his knees and stretch out as much as he does," Brodeur said. "He is a big boy, so for him to go in different positions to try to make saves is what impressed me about him the most. A lot of different goalies that are more technical are not going to get out of their comfort zone. (Markstrom) doesn't mind getting out of his comfort zone to make a save."
The Swede's importance to the Devils goes beyond his skills in the crease. On nights when he served as the Devils' backup goaltender, he was an asset to the team on the bench, offering tips and tidbits from what he saw. Additionally, Keefe has boasted about Markstrom's leadership ability.
"He pushes and challenges the group and his teammates in a positive way because he demands greatness, and that's what you really like," he said. "He is a great leader for us in that way, not just in his ability to stop pucks."
With another chance of a championship in front of him, Markstrom will skate onto the ice at Lenovo Center on Sunday afternoon with one thing in mind: a win.
What happened previously does not matter.
Whatever he may have felt about his performance at any point this season does not matter.
"For me, I don't really try to chase a feeling or (say) I gotta go back to playing like I did that time," he said. "I am just pushing to become better and still feel like I am going upwards."
Luckily for Keefe and the Devils, Markstrom is optimistic about the future.
"I feel like I still have my best years ahead of me."
Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes
EXCLUSIVE: Q&A With MSG Networks Host & Analyst Rachel Herzog
Hischier’s Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He’s Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'
Continue reading...
