Sunrise, Fla. – Florida Panthers Director of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Zito announced today that the club has acquired goaltender Jacob Markstrom and forward Angus Cruikshank from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Evan Rodriguez, forward Jesper Boqvist and forward Ben Steeves.
“Jacob is an established veteran leader in this league with size and a relentless drive to win,” Zito said. “We are excited to have him competing alongside our established group and returning to South Florida.”
“I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Evan and Jesper for their contributions to our organization,” Zito said.
Markstrom, 36, played in 44 games for the New Jersey Devils in 2025-2026, compiling a record of 23-19-1 with one shutout.
The 6-foot-6, 207-pound native of Gävle, Sweden, played with New Jersey (2024-25 to 2025-26), the Calgary Flames (2020-21 to 2023-24), the Vancouver Canucks (2013-14 to 2019-20) and Florida (2010-11 to 2013-14). Since the 2019-20 season, Markstrom ranks in the top five among NHL goaltenders in games played (T-4:349), ice time (4:20424:38) and shutouts (T-5:22).
Markstrom was named a Vezina Trophy finalist after compiling a 37-15-9 record with a .922 save percentage and a league-leading nine shutouts during the 2021-22 season with Calgary. He was also named to the 2020 NHL All-Star Game, 2022 NHL Second All-Star Team, and has nine consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Markstrom appeared in 31 games between New Jersey, Vancouver, and Calgary, posting a cumulative save percentage of .911 and two shutouts.
Markstrom played in 165 American Hockey League (AHL) games with Rochester (2010-11), San Antonio (2011-12-2013-14) and Utica (2014-15-2015-16), compiling an 84-65-12 record. In the 2014-15 season, his 1.88 goals against average ranked second among AHL netminders and his .934 save percentage ranked third. He was named AHL Goaltender of the Month in February 2014 and again in October 2015, and represented Utica in the AHL All-Star Game that season.
Prior to his career in North America, Markstrom spent three seasons (2007-08 to 2009-10) with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), where he led the league in shutouts (5), goals against average (2.01), and save percentage (.927) in the 2009-10 season. He was named Sweden’s Goalkeeper of the Year and Sweden’s Junior Hockey Player of the Year.
On the international stage, Markstrom backstopped Sweden at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, posting a 2-1-0 record with a .936 save percentage and a 1.97 goals-against average over three games. He competed in the 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2025 IIHF World Championships, winning gold with Sweden in 2013 and bronze medals in 2010 and 2025. Markstrom also won a silver medal (2009) and a bronze medal (2010) at the IIHF U20 World Junior Championship.
Markstrom was originally selected in the second round (31st overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft out of the University of Florida.
Cruikshank, 26, scored in eight games with the Devils in 2025-2026 and also played in 60 AHL games with the Utica Comets, leading the team with 24 goals and ranking second in scoring (24-12-36).
The 5-foot-10, 183-pound native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, played in 29 NHL games over three seasons with the Ottawa Senators (2023-24-2024-25) and New Jersey (2025-26), recording five points (3-2-5). Over seven AHL seasons with Belleville (2020-21, 2022-23 to 2024-25) and Utica (2025-26), Cruikshank accumulated 185 points (101-84-185) in 262 career games. He was selected to play in the AHL All-Star Game for the 2023-24 season.
Prior to his professional career, Cruikshank played in 90 games over three seasons with the NCAA’s University of New Hampshire Wildcats, scoring 63 points (35-28-63). He was named to the Hockey East Third All-Star team for the 2020-21 season after leading UNH in scoring.
Cruikshank was originally selected by Ottawa in the fifth round (126th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.
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