2021 Flames Report Card: Jacob Markstrom

Jacob Markstrom, Goaltender

22-19-2, .904 SV%, 2.68 GAA, 3 SO

Individual Grades

MGMacGillivray: B Markstrom’s season was much like a sandwich. Except in this case you had absolutely fantastic bread on the sandwich with a very questionable center. The start and end to Markstrom’s season were both excellent as looked every bit the part of a #1 goalie. However it was that middle portion where he struggled. In what I heard from Canucks fans, it was in times where Markstrom was overworked that he would quickly fall off, but also make questionable plays with the puck, much like the one we saw that led to his injury against Vancouver in February. After missing a few weeks, he returned and struggled, losing six starts in a row at one point, but he picked it up later in the season and returned to form. If there’s one thing, it’s that at least goaltending wasn’t the major issue for the Flames this season, and it won’t be again for the next few years ideally. Markstrom gave the Flames a chance to win most nights, and on many of those nights, they didn’t make the most of that chance.

MarkParkinson14: B – Markstrom has certainly been a workhorse over the last 4 season and this season he posted his second back to back 43 game campaign. He also posted his best GAA in four seasons with a very respectable 2.66. Darryl Sutter certainly rode the Flames top keeper into the ground after Calgary traded David Rittich to Toronto, as he started 14 straight games before finally yielding to Louis Domingue in the final contest of 2021. The Flames couldn’t really ask more of their top keeper as he, at times, had to tread water with how Calgary was playing in front of him. At the end of the day, I think fans and the team can be happy with how Markstrom played, especially seeing it was his first season with Calgary and it was an odd year for all players in general.

MadelineCampbell: B I think Markstrom, on the whole, had a pretty solid first season with the Flames. Truth be told, I don’t really have any major issues with his game. The numbers aren’t stellar (which is what kept me from bumping his grade any higher) but we do also have to remember that he was, well he was overworked this season, there’s really no other way to put it. The instances where he looked like he was breaking down and his play taking a dip really don’t scare me on an “oh my god, the aging curve has hit him like a freight train and this is the worst contract in the history of the league” way, because he just plainly was played too many games, and we could rightfully expect to see him wearing down. On the whole though, he looked really solid when he was on, and there’s a lot about his season that has me optimistic about what he’ll look like next season with (hopefully!) a better managed workload and a not super condensed season to work with.

MilhouseFirehouse: B

RenuSahota: B

Gordie.Taylor: B

Readers: B

by Michael MacGillivray