Canucks goalies up for grabs
TRADE BAIT: But who will stay in Vancouver, who will go and for how much?
The Great Goalie Debate trade arguments go something like this: Jacob Markstrom, 25, has an outstanding book of work in the AHL, but history dictates he isn’t good enough to be an NHL starter and would work best in tandem with a proven stopper. What does that command? A third-round 2015 pick?
Eddie Lack, 27, is too good — in the net and the marketplace — yet some suitors are fixated on his Game 4 playoff hook. What’s all that worth? A second-round pick? Some say yes, some say no.
Joacim Eriksson, 25, is a restricted free agent who has signed a oneyear contract with Riga of the KHL and filling the AHL void in Utica means trading for help in a goalie-swap package or signing a cheap free agent. Joe Cannata had a good season in the ECHL, but played five games for the Comets.
Jim Benning has called the goalie market “fickle” because the Vancouver Canucks general manager has found it difficult to get what he considers full value in parting with either Lack or Markstrom.
He doesn’t really know what to expect this week when the first domino falls and if it’s New York Rangers backup Cam Talbot, who tops the wish list of the Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks, then the return bar will be somewhat set. Or maybe not.
Five teams are aggressively chasing a goalie solution and the goalposts could shift again before or at the NHL draft this weekend in Sunrise, Fla.
One report suggested the Rangers turned down two second-round picks and the rationale for seeking a greater return on Talbot mirrors what the Canucks know they have in Lack.
Both stoppers are 27, have palatable contracts and filled in admirably when their respective starters were injured. Talbot has a year left at $1.45 million US and went 21-94 with a 2.21 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. He looked good when Henrik Lundqvist was injured.
Lack has a year left at a $1.15-million cap hit and went 18-13-4 with a 2.45 GAA. and .921 save percentage. And he looked good when Ryan Miller suffered a knee injury.
It always made sense to retain Lack here from a performance perspective and his marketable demeanour — fans are even petitioning to retain the Smiling Swede — but if he’s the guy you can move, you have to move him. Lack has better numbers than those posted by the available Robin Lehner, 23, of the Ottawa Senators (9-12-3, 3.02 GAA, .905 save percentage) if the Oilers really think he can pair with Ben Scrivens. And with two years left at $2.225 million annually, Lehner’s term is better because Lack will need a contract extension to avoid becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Benning would like to sell Markstrom on the premise that he’s ready for prime time, but career NHL numbers of 13-28-5, a 3.19 GAA and an .896 save percentage won’t pique as much interest on the RFA. On Tuesday, the Canucks reportedly extended Markstrom a qualifying offer.
Then there’s the money. As much as Benning said ownership would be supportive of moving either goaltender, there would be a one-year, $10-million cap hit to swallow in 2016-17 on Miller ($6 million) and Lack ($4 million potentially).
“If we have a little bit more money tied up in our goalies for one year to give us good goaltending, I don’t have a problem with that,” said Benning.
It was a problem two years ago when a combined cap hit of $9.3 million for Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider meant somebody was leaving. Unable to move Luongo’s lengthy contract, Schneider was a 2013 draftday departure for the ninth-overall pick, which turned into Bo Horvat. With the cap ceiling next season set at $71.4 million and with the Canucks having about $5 million in space, much of it is going to be eaten up by re-signing players rather than doing any real shopping in free agency — unless Benning gets creative.
Moving salaries for picks is one solution but it also creates roster voids, unless prospects are going to get real roster shots.
The Canucks have 11 projected roster forwards signed for next season and that doesn’t include RFA priorities in Sven Baertschi, Linden Vey, Alexandre Grenier and possibly Brandon McMillan. And RFA defencemen Yannick Weber, Frank Corrado and Adam Clendening are unsigned and a decision needs to be made on Ryan Stanton.
However, without second- and third-round picks in this draft, moving a goalie is a priority. The Canucks choose 23rd and if the Oilers landed Lack for a second-rounder, it could bring the 33rd overall selection in return. If the Sabres struck the same deal, the Canucks could pick again at No. 31 and it would ensure they get another player they’ve targeted.