Getting reacquainted with Panthers goalie Jacob Markström: 5 Fascinating Facts

The Florida Panthers found a familiar face to lead the charge into the 2026-27 season when they acquired Jacob Markström from the New Jersey Devils.

Initially drafted in the second round of the 2008 NHL Draft, he would make his debut with the club and see action in 43 games before a trade to the Vancouver Canucks in 2014.

It’s been 12 years since Markström wore a Panthers sweater, and he’s had a lengthy career in North America while representing his home country, Sweden, in international competitions.

Today, we’d like to take a look at his career both in the NHL and beyond, giving fans a unique look into a goalie closing in on 600 games and 300 wins.

Markström’s trophy case is stacked with Swedish hardware

Before Markström came to North America, he was one of Sweden’s top goalies. Some of his career highlights include an Hlinka Gretzky Cup gold medal (2008), U18 WJC Top 3 Player on Team (2008), U20 WJC silver medal (2009), U20 WJC best goaltender (2009), and U20 Top 3 Player on Team (2009).

In the SHL, Markström was a Rookie of the Year nominee in 2009 before winning the award the following year, 2010. He also won the Honken Trophy as the country’s best goalie on top of the Årets Junior, the award for the Junior Hockey Player of the Year.

Meanwhile, he added a U20 bronze medal and another U20 Top 3 Player on Team award, and won a bronze medal at the World Championships that same year. Finally, in 2013, Markström won a World Championship, followed by a bronze medal again in 2025.

34 NHLers have scored their first goal on Markström

In 578 games, Markström has surrendered 1,516 goals, for an average of 215 per season. Despite those totals, he does have 25 shutouts, which rank 33rd in the league since his debut in 2010-11. Interestingly, throughout all those lamplighters, he’s only surrendered nine milestone goals, including Rick Nash’s 400th.

Meanwhile, Markström has given up eight 100th career goals, including several by defensemen: Tyson Barrie, Mark Giordano, and Alexander Edler. Yet, the more surprising statistic about the goals he’s given up is the fact that 34 NHLers have tallied their first goal on him. A few of the names include Andrew Mangiapane, Jordan Kyrou, Joel Hanley, Jackson Blake, and Johnny Gaudreau.

Washington Capitals are Markström’s Kryptonite

After 16 seasons in the NHL, Markström has faced every team at least 10 times, except the Utah Mammoth, against whom he sports a perfect 2-0-0 record. Interestingly, out of all the teams, the one the Swedish netminder struggled most against is a former Southeast Division rival, the Washington Capitals.

In 13 matchups, Markström is just 2-8-3, the only team he hasn’t beaten at least three times. Moreover, he’s surrendered 40 goals in those games, for a career 3.28 GAA, the third-worst total against any opponent.

Markström can consistently win 23 games a year

On nine occasions, Markström has won at least 20 games in a season, reaching that mark several times over with the Canucks and Flames, and doing so in his first campaign with the Devils. Surprisingly, though, he’s only won more than 30 games once in 2021-22, when Calgary won the Pacific Division title, with a little help from Matthew Tkachuk, who had 42 goals and 104 points.

However, the interesting thing that sticks out about Markström’s yearly win totals is that he’s won 23 games five times in his career. Moreover, he came close to making it six times with 22 victories in 2020-21. During the 2023-24 season, he went 23-23-2, the second time in his career he lost 23 times in a single season.

Second winningest Swedish-Born goalie in NHL history

Thanks to his longevity in the NHL, Markström has had plenty of opportunities to climb the record books among Swedish-born netminders. The native of Gävle, Sweden, has a career record of 264-231-64 in 578 games.

Heading into the 2026-27 season, he’s just 36 wins shy of 300, joining an elite group of NHL puckstoppers, since only 42 of them have ever reached that total. However, among Swedish goalies, Markström ranks second only to Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist in almost every major statistical category, since The King won 459 of the 887 games he played over his 15+ years.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow