Player Discussion Jacob Markstrom

[Bojack Horvatman]

I like Demko, but we shouldn't be making a decision to move on from Markstrom based on one game.

 

[mossey3535]

Clarke has been better for Marky than he has for Demko. And arguably a lot of the pieces for Marky were already in place before Clark got here. But definitely Marky's increased resilience (I don't think his physical tools have improved under Clark, and puck tracking isn't something Clark isn't particularly known for) definitely started to come into place when Clark arrived.

This is in line with why he was let go from CBJ in the first place. He wasn't meshing with their young guys, and you see their young guys killing it in this playoffs without him.

Clark is still a good goalie coach but like all goalie coaches he usually fits with a certain kind of player. Just something to think about, as I didn't see Demko eliminating some of his bad habits as the season went on. But I also thought Demko needed this whole year for development at minimum and maybe next year.

 

[Fatass]

I like Demko, but we shouldn't be making a decision to move on from Markstrom based on one game.

Wouldn’t signing Marky and trading Demko be the best move?

 

[Canucks1096]

You only go with Demko if Markstrom contract talks gets ridiculous. I wouldnt go more than 4 years, 6 M a season. If you resign Markstrom, you have an asset in Demko that you can trade for other assets or use to get rid of a bad contract.

Markstrom is a sure thing, without Markstrom playing at an elite level. There is no playoffs, if Demko doesn't take his game to next level and stay about the same level as this year. There is no playoffs next year.

 

[Cupless44]

I like Demko, but we shouldn't be making a decision to move on from Markstrom based on one game.

I would base it on long term thinking and salary considerations

Demko is a better goalie than Markstrom was at 24 without question. In a year or two Demko could well be the bestter goalie, in his prime and cheaper. Markstron seems to be increasingly injury prone also and is almost 31.

At some point this management has to make some long term, roster and salary cap management decisions.

So little long term thinking goes into the majority of Benning's signings.

 

[Canucks1096]

I would base it on long term thinking and salary considerations

Demko is a better goalie than Markstrom was at 24 without question. In a year or two Demko could well be the bestter goalie, in his prime and cheaper. Markstron seems to be increasingly injury prone also and is almost 31.

At some point this management has to make some long term, roster and salary cap management decisions.

So little long term thinking goes into the majority of Benning's signings.

Every 24 year old and under that make it to the nhl was better than Markstrom. That doesn't really mean much. Demko does have the potential to be a number 1 goalie. What if Demko doesn't get to that level. Without a legit number 1 goalie, this team with this elite young core will not make the playoffs. Being a good backup vs being a good number 1 goalie is completely different animal.

 

[Szechwan]

These type of deals don't happen anymore with the ability to negotiate before July 1st.

I don't think you can do that anymore? I thought I recalled Friedman saying it was nixed during the last negotiations.

Honestly I have no clue what the Canucks should do here and I can see legitimate reasons to go either way. Just glad I'm not the guy that has to make the call.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Demko is much better at age 24 than Markstrom was at 24 and has more potential. It took a while for Markstrom to become really good (around age 27), he’ll be 31 next season and anything more than a 3 or 4 year contract could end up biting us while Demko could turn into an elite goaltender. Tough choice but leaning slightly towards Demko with the future in mind. Sign Markstrom for 5.5Mx3 or 5Mx4 Max, if he wants more roll with Demko.

 

[F A N]

In theory they did away with that with the latest CBA renewal.

I don't think you can do that anymore? I thought I recalled Friedman saying it was nixed during the last negotiations.

Honestly I have no clue what the Canucks should do here and I can see legitimate reasons to go either way. Just glad I'm not the guy that has to make the call.

You guys are right. I haven't really read up on the new CBA.

 

[VanJack]

The current goalie situation is a 'win-win' for the Canucks. At the very least, Demko's heroics have enhanced his trade value. A team looking for a young, 'foundational goalie' to build a team around, has to be kicking the tires on Thatcher (read Detroit or Buffalo).

And if Markstrom's contract demands are simply to onerous for the cap-strapped Canucks, then they let him head into free agency.

Then all the Canucks would need to do is go out and find a veteran backup, who'd be an upgrade on Louie Domingue.

 

[Fire Benning]

It's best not to become prisoners of the moment and make sweeping assesments based on one playoff game, I like Demko but he hasn't proven to be as crucial to the Canucks chances as Markstrom, remember when Markstrom got hurt and Demko took over he was competent but many were still frustrated with his inconsistency. My ideal plan would still be to re-sign Markstrom and trade Demko, the one thing that could change that is the prognosis of Markstrom's injury.

 

[Cupless44]

Every 24 year old and under that make it to the nhl was better than Markstrom. That doesn't really mean much. Demko does have the potential to be a number 1 goalie. What if Demko doesn't get to that level. Without a legit number 1 goalie, this team with this elite young core will not make the playoffs. Being a good backup vs being a good number 1 goalie is completely different animal.

I understand but I think Demko has the potential to be a #1 and there is absolutely no shortgae of veteran goalies on the market to supplement him.

Any risk is paid off by helping a desparate cap situation by not paying Markstrom 6 million+ a year

 

[Cupless44]

It's best not to become prisoners of the moment and make sweeping assesments based on one playoff game, I like Demko but he hasn't proven to be as crucial to the Canucks chances as Markstrom, remember when Markstrom got hurt and Demko took over he was competent but many were still frustrated with his inconsistency. My ideal plan would still be to re-sign Markstrom and trade Demko, the one thing that could change that is the prognosis of Markstrom's injury.

Demko was just getting his feet wet with the starter's load and his play was turning around when Covid halted the season. His last game was his best one

 

[StreetHawk]

Demko is much better at age 24 than Markstrom was at 24 and has more potential. It took a while for Markstrom to become really good (around age 27), he’ll be 31 next season and anything more than a 3 or 4 year contract could end up biting us while Demko could turn into an elite goaltender. Tough choice but leaning slightly towards Demko with the future in mind. Sign Markstrom for 5.5Mx3 or 5Mx4 Max, if he wants more roll with Demko.

I agree because the core’s best days are not in the next couple of years when they have to navigate all of the bad cap management. So seems more logical to roll with the younger goalie.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

Wouldn’t signing Marky and trading Demko be the best move?

Depends on the contract of Markstrom, and what we can get in a trade for Demko.

I would base it on long term thinking and salary considerations

Demko is a better goalie than Markstrom was at 24 without question. In a year or two Demko could well be the bestter goalie, in his prime and cheaper. Markstron seems to be increasingly injury prone also and is almost 31.

At some point this management has to make some long term, roster and salary cap management decisions.

So little long term thinking goes into the majority of Benning's signings.

I would resign Markstrom If he signs for 6-6.5m for under 5 years, and doesn't require trade protection. If not he can get that somewhere else.

If we do resign Markstrom I would want Demko to play around 30 games( if he doesn't get traded) to get a good sample size of what we have in him. Then we can expose a goalie to Seattle, or trade one at the deadline or offseason.

 

[Chimpradamus]

One bad game after a barrage of tough downright onslaught games and all the trade rumours and the loyalty starts flowing. Really? And I don't think he really had such a bad game in the back to back, those goals weren't exactly easy goals to save. Tons of screens and deflections to handle. Sure, Demko seems like a good goalie, but how can one game throw so many... oh, I forgot, it's HF. Hockey's Future. The chance of something better is infinitely better than what you already got. The lottery winning strategy. I got it.

Markström has proven he's an elite workhorse goalie with consistency. One game doesn't change that at all. Sure, the terms of his new contract is a concern, but that's because of all the previously bad decisions by management, with a boatload of dead money on all the buyouts. All the terrible contracts in the bottom 6. It's sad Markström gets in the cross hairs of all of that, because he deserves a chance to be the #1 goalie for this squad for some years to come.

If Markström is somehow dumped because of buyouts and terrible bottom 6 contracts, well... I don't exactly count on the team being able to repeat this with Demko as the #1. A small maybe? It's so much easier to perform as a backup picking your spots than as the #1 workhorse, facing all the onslaught, all the time.

And who will be the goalie behind him? I like Demko and he's good, but relying on him being ready for the #1 responsibility of stopping this grinding onslaught, behind this team as how it looks, every game against every heavy hitter... that sounds like a big chance and risk.

My dream scenario is Markström can be re-signed for a couple of more years to ease Demko in the #1 position to be ready for when Markström finally leaves the spade to him. The goalie circus in Vancouver has to frigging stop. It's time goalies can feel at ease and not always be on their toes as a commodity. Is it a Murican or Canadian franchise? I don't know about that.

The revolving doors at goaltending in Vancouver, considering the quality of goalies that have played here, are utterly ridiculous. Seriously. Bum forwards and such aren't a problem, but a goalie performing to his contract? No no no. Seriously? It's ridiculous that every quality goalie playing for Vancouver leaves, because they don't feel the support from ownership, the fans and the team. They all leave. #1 and #2 and there are a bunch that were really good. Vancouver has a goalie curse that needs to be broken, because basically none deserved what they got.

 

[krutovsdonut]

i think the sensible business decision would be to sign markstrom for a fair deal and then see how the season goes. prior to the expansion draft you either trade one of them, or you decide to expose one of them depending on their seasons.

the hardest part of re-signing is the nmc that markstrom will want, but he is a team guy so maybe would not want to be in the position of staying when the team wants to move him. also, maybe the fact that seattle is close by and the vegas story will make it easier to accept the possibility of expansion drafting.

 

[Shootica]

The current goalie situation is a 'win-win' for the Canucks. At the very least, Demko's heroics have enhanced his trade value. A team looking for a young, 'foundational goalie' to build a team around, has to be kicking the tires on Thatcher (read Detroit or Buffalo).

Sabres/Comets fan here. Personally I think you'll be kicking yourself in a couple years if you trade Demko, but I get it. It's definitely a tough situation with the Seattle draft coming up.

From the Sabres, what would you be looking for in a trade for Thatcher? I'd be very interested if I was running things in Buffalo.

 

[deckercky]

If nothing else, demko is making it easier for the canucks to put a reasonable contract in front of markstrom on a 'take it or leave it' basis.

 

[Canuck Luck]

Sabres/Comets fan here. Personally I think you'll be kicking yourself in a couple years if you trade Demko, but I get it. It's definitely a tough situation with the Seattle draft coming up.

From the Sabres, what would you be looking for in a trade for Thatcher? I'd be very interested if I was running things in Buffalo.

Probably not anything sabres would give up. Y’all have Ullmark til UPL is ready. Have you guys soured on UPL due to his injuries?

 

[Shootica]

Probably not anything sabres would give up. Y’all have Ullmark til UPL is ready. Have you guys soured on UPL due to his injuries?

Nah, still high on UPL. But I absolutely love Demko, so I had to ask.

Go Nucks!

 

[Canuck Luck]

Nah, still high on UPL. But I absolutely love Demko, so I had to ask.

Go Nucks!

Personally for me if we can get rid of a contract like baertschi while getting a mid 2nd I’d let Demko go. Unless we plan on just running with him for the cap savings from letting marky go.

Not really anyone off buffalos roster that’s available for Demko I’d want. Maybe joker? How’s his play?

 

[GetFocht]

Cheers Markstrom, you were great in Vancouver but its time for Demko to take the throne.

 

[sting101]

I like Demko, but we shouldn't be making a decision to move on from Markstrom based on one game.

and after this game?

 

[Green Blank Stare]

As a prisoner of the moment, I'm leaning towards letting Marky walk.