Confirmed with Link: Canucks, Demko reportedly agree to 5-Year, $25M Extension ($5M AAV)

[Hit the post]

Oh I see. So you're *sure* Benning would totally sign Ian Clark...but *of course* he couldn't possibly persuade Aqualini. Remind me, how many people have walked out of the Canucks' front office without being replaced over the last few years? Just take some of the money left over from, say, not replacing the President of Hockey Operations. Benning couldn't whisper in Aqualini's ear and convince him of Clark's importance?

He'll be too busy whispering "please forgive me as I've ^$&^$# up with Holtby & please let me buy him out"

 

[Blue and Green]

I don't get why Koskinen is used as a comparable at all beyond the timing of the signings. Demko is a 25 years old goalie that has the look of a #1 goalie coming into his own including some incredible playoff performances. He's also coming off a stretch of games where his performance was elite level and had taken over the #1 spot. Koskinen at the time of signing was 30 years old and coming off a poor stretch of games. He was also (evenly) splitting the workload with Talbot at the time. If we were to go by experience, Demko also has more than double the amount of games Koskinen played in at the time.

If both were companies and you're trying to figure out which to invest in, Demko would have an 8 year chart where both his fundamentals and share price have improved. Koskinen would be like a recent IPO. That's not to say Koskinen is a bad goaltender. He wasn't. But one is a 25 year old emerging #1 goalie where the other was a 30 year old backup / average starter.

Should also be noted that Demko doesn't appear to have received any trade or movement protection in this contract. It's a straight-up 5x5 deal. Koskinen got a 15-team no-trade list for each season.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Oh I see. So you're *sure* Benning would totally sign Ian Clark...but *of course* he couldn't possibly persuade Aqualini. Remind me, how many people have walked out of the Canucks' front office without being replaced over the last few years? Just take some of the money left over from, say, not replacing the President of Hockey Operations. Benning couldn't whisper in Aqualini's ear and convince him of Clark's importance?

With Covid revenues in the red, and ownership cutting the purse strings..Coaches are being left in limbo with out contracts for next year..(just informing you of that)....Of course, though,..this is going to be Bennings fault for not whispering in Aqualini's ear isnt it ?...especially since the GM cant multitask, and is living 'day to day' and stuff.

"And will the Canucks, having been bold and proactive in re-signing Demko as a core piece, make him perform without his goaltending mentor, Vancouver assistant coach Ian Clark?
With the money the team is investing in Demko, and the critical importance of the position generally, it’s starting to feel ridiculous bordering on reckless that the Canucks haven’t gotten around to re-signing for what amounts to NHL spare change the guru who has improved virtually every goaltender he has worked with during 11 seasons over two stints in Vancouver.
Yes, we understand hierarchy and convention, and that head coach Travis Green is also awaiting a new contract that general manager Jim Benning wants to provide but owner Francesco Aquilini has refused so far to authorize during the NHL’s coronavirus-induced recession." iMac, today.

 

[rypper]

Should also be noted that Demko doesn't appear to have received any trade or movement protection in this contract. It's a straight-up 5x5 deal. Koskinen got a 15-team no-trade list for each season.

Well he's not eligible for any through the first couple years. The structure of the deal hasn't been released yet either -- not that that will really change anything.

If they built it out of signing bonuses that would make it difficult to move or buyout but i don't think they would do that kind of contract here.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

what is that assumption based on?

history suggests that benning has never been proactive about retaining the people who work for him, especially those who get good pub.

Its based on the assumption that Benning clearly holds Clarke in high regard...

 

[Fatass]

Its based on the assumption that Benning clearly holds Clarke in high regard...

I sure hope you’re right POM. Clearly Clarke makes the goalies he coaches better. And a goalie who moves on from him (or he moves on from them) gets worse - Bob, and Marky come to mind.
Demko is doing great, so really don’t want us to lose Clarke and Demko goes into the dumper.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

I sure hope you’re right POM. Clearly Clarke makes the goalies he coaches better. And a goalie who moves on from him (or he moves on from them) gets worse - Bob, and Marky come to mind.
Demko is doing great, so really don’t want us to lose Clarke and Demko goes into the dumper.

iMac is right..why spend $25M on a guy, and not sign his mentor for relative chump change?

 

[F A N]

I think Bob and Vasi deals are huge outliers that aren't really realistic and were signed with the assumption of a continually rising cap. The only goalies who have got those contracts are ones with big award cupboards. I go back to Gibson who was a .922 goalie over 4 years and 200 starts before he signed his 6.4 million deal. I think the deal will likely end up ok, I just don't think there's much chance of him actually being significantly underpaid by the end of this deal, and if the chance of that is low, there's no reason to risk a long term goalie contract on a guy with so few starts.

We've discussed Demko's extension at length prior to this deal being signed. Everyone has their opinions on the preferred term. Do you lock him up long term? I think most would consider a 2 year deal that takes Demko right to UFA to be a failure. A one year deal to me isn't all that different since he can elect arbitration and head to UFA.

So if you're looking to sign him to a longer term then how many years? There were some who wanted to give Demko a 6+ year deal to avoid the Markstrom situation where you have a 29-30 year old goalie looking for a 5-6 year deal. It's not a huge difference but Demko will be turning 31 at the beginning of his next deal and that extra year could be important.

There are good reasons to lock up your core players through their prime years.

 

[m9]

iMac is right..why spend $25M on a guy, and not sign his mentor for relative chump change?

Really the only thing that could have caused a rift between Ian Clark and the team is if he was the one really pushing for Holtby as some had suggested. If he did and the team looks at that as a major issue, then maybe that's the source of the disconnect.

 

[Zippgunn]

Should also be noted that Demko doesn't appear to have received any trade or movement protection in this contract. It's a straight-up 5x5 deal. Koskinen got a 15-team no-trade list for each season.

I was wondering about this, maybe it's because Demko would like to play in Cali at some point and so didn't require such "protection".

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

Really the only thing that could have caused a rift between Ian Clark and the team is if he was the one really pushing for Holtby as some had suggested. If he did and the team looks at that as a major issue, then maybe that's the source of the disconnect.

Who said anything about a' rift'..?..is there a rift with Green and the club as well..?..Its purely a matter of ownership putting themselves in an awkward position...They cant give Clark an extension, and not give one to Green (and vice versa )....and who even knows if they're going to retain Green.?

 

[CFan23]

These are the kind of gambles the Canucks are going to need to make with their young guys if we want success long term. We've already squandered their cheap years and there is little in the pipeline so its worth the risk to get us out of the bad team -> bubble team tier. If we could get Hughes and Pettersson on similar deals 6x5 ish then we have the base for a stew.

 

[MarkMM]

Strikes just the right balance IMO, solid move.

 

[m9]

Who said anything about a' rift'..?..is there a rift with Green and the club as well..?..Its purely a matter of ownership putting themselves in an awkward position...They cant give Clark an extension, and not give one to Green (and vice versa )....and who even knows if they're going to retain Green.?
View attachment 416074

You're right, I should have worded it better. I think it's more than likely the ownership thing, all I meant to say that if it isn't that then it's possible the team wasn't happy about Holtby. That's it.

Lots of people said Clark was pushing for Holtby and that was an awful decision so I'm sure people aren't happy about that. Is that enough to move on from a guy who otherwise appears great at his job? No, but people have left this organization under the past few years who also appeared to be good at their job and there was no pandemic excuse then.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Demko is already a better-than average starter...in his last 15 games or so he’s been one of the best goalies in the league. Did Drance expect Demko to sign for less than the average starting goaltender salary?

Probably not, but 15 games are not enough evidence of a keeper's future performance. Carter Hart was brilliant last season and currently can't stop a beach ball.

2019-20
43 GP 2.42/.914
playoffs 14GP 2.23/.926

2021
22 GP 4.04/.869

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

You're right, I should have worded it better. I think it's more than likely the ownership thing, all I meant to say that if it isn't that then it's possible the team wasn't happy about Holtby. That's it.

Lots of people said Clark was pushing for Holtby and that was an awful decision so I'm sure people aren't happy about that. Is that enough to move on from a guy who otherwise appears great at his job? No, but people have left this organization under the past few years who also appeared to be good at their job and there was no pandemic excuse then.

We can only speculate, but obviously Clarke would have been consulted, and had input into the Holtby signing..and one of the reasons Holtby signed was because of Clarke...
People move on from one organization to another to enhance their careers..nothing new there.

 

[Fatass]

Probably not, but 15 games are not enough evidence of a keeper's future performance. Carter Hart was brilliant last season and currently can't stop a beach ball.

2019-20
43 GP 2.42/.914
playoffs 14GP 2.23/.926

2021
22 GP 4.04/.869

Seeing young goalies, like Hart, struggle (who can be great) only makes a guy like Clarke even more valuable. I hope we sign him, but think there are several teams that will pay him good money. He will definitely have options.

 

[rypper]

For the love of God, it's Clark.

 

[F A N]

For the love of God, it's Clark.

Clarkie? Can't go wrong with Clarkie since Ianie sounds bad.

 

[F A N]

iMac is right..why spend $25M on a guy, and not sign his mentor for relative chump change?

Maybe Rollie is begging to come back and willing to do the job for fraction of Clarkie's price.

 

[I am toxic]

You're right, I should have worded it better. I think it's more than likely the ownership thing, all I meant to say that if it isn't that then it's possible the team wasn't happy about Holtby. That's it.

Lots of people said Clark was pushing for Holtby and that was an awful decision so I'm sure people aren't happy about that. Is that enough to move on from a guy who otherwise appears great at his job? No, but people have left this organization under the past few years who also appeared to be good at their job and there was no pandemic excuse then.

Who said Clarkie was "pushing for Holtby"?

edited for spelling

 

[m9]

Who said Clarkie was "pushing for Holtby"?

edited for spelling

I mean, the prevailing thought out there was that Clark had worked with Holtby in the past and would be able to "fix" him. I'm sure he had some influence into the decision, it would be very strange if he didn't.

 

[I am toxic]

I mean, the prevailing thought out there was that Clark had worked with Holtby in the past and would be able to "fix" him. I'm sure he had some influence into the decision, it would be very strange if he didn't.

I don't think you fully appreciate the iron grip Linden has over this organization.

 

[m9]

I don't think you fully appreciate the iron grip Linden has over this organization.

I see what you're saying, but really I'm not someone who gets involved in the parsing out of credit/blame for decisions made in the organization over the last 7 years as I give the GM the credit/blame for every decision made over that timeframe.

However, it would also be naive to think that the GM wouldn't consult with his goalie coach about the goaltender they are signing.

Anyways, nothing really to do with Demko and the extension so I'll leave it at that.

 

[I am toxic]

I see what you're saying, but really I'm not someone who gets involved in the parsing out of credit/blame for decisions made in the organization over the last 7 years as I give the GM the credit/blame for every decision made over that timeframe.

However, it would also be naive to think that the GM wouldn't consult with his goalie coach that has a previous relationship with the goaltender they are signing.

Anyways, nothing really to do with Demko and the extension so I'll leave it at that.

Well, the Holtby signing absolutely has everything to do with the Demko signing. We will be paying $9.29m to those two for the position next year, and probability strongly suggests that Holtby - as he gets older- will decline further. Eff you, Mike Smith, for making me look foolish and being an Oiler.

And to which GM are you assigning responsibility for the last 7 years - Linden, FAQ, or Gillis?