I think it's worth holding onto both for the next 2-3 years minimum and let them compete for the starting position and pump up their value. I know the expansion draft is coming, so maybe we could make a deal with Seattle that would make sense where we can hold onto both - the logic being that the return we get from Markstrom will be greater than what we give up to Seattle to make it work. Ideally we re-sign Markstrom to a 3-4 year contract and dump him in his last year or two for a late 1st or something along those lines if Demko looks ready.
And as mentioned above, goalies that decline in their mid 30s are usually from injuries, when you can IR their cap anyways.
Canucks don’t have anything upfront or D that they risk losing.
Bo, Petey, Brock, Miller, Gaudette appears to be the 5 forwards you can put in zone to protect.
Defense with Quinn exempt, and Edler and Benn ufa, you are choosing right now between 3 of Stecher, Myers, Tanev if you extend him, and all of the guys in the AHL like Juolevi, Brisebois, Chatfield, etc.
I don’t see anything that would be that enticing to Seattle at the moment. Things can change in 2 seasons.
Unless you’re parting with a Dipietro who will have 2 AHL years under his belt so that seattle lays off a 32 year old goalie. But you risk giving a division rival potentially their goalie of the future.