Speculation: Dhaliwal: Canucks looking for veteran goalie as Demko remains injured.

[TGWL]

Demko should be injured less imo. It's unreasonable, the amount of injuries he picks up out of seemingly nowhere.

I hurt myself waking up sometimes.. You want to talk about unreasonable amount of injuries for a goalie...

 

[HockeyScotty]

Goalies that have been rumored to be on the trading block or could be available:

Remaining UFA market:
Kevin Lankinen - 29 yo
Martin Jones - 34 yo
Antti Raanta - 35 yo
Malcolm Subban - 30 yo
Alexander Samonov - 28 yo (KHL contract expired I believe?)

Likely Affordable Veterans in Trade:
Alex Lyon - DET - $900k x 1 - 31 yo
Matt Murray - TOR - $875k x 1 - 30 yo (could claim him on waivers?)
Dan Vladar - CGY - $2.2m x 1 - 27 yo (heard that 50% retention was offered by CGY but that was before Markstrom was moved out)

Either one of:
Kaapo Kahkonen - WPG - $1.0m x 1 - 28 yo
Eric Comrie - WPG- $825k x 2 - 29 yo

High Acquisition Cost Rookie
Yaroslav Askarov - NSH - $925k x 1 (RFA) - 22 yo

This group would require some salary going back the other way or some retention:
Filip Gustavsson - MIN - $3.75m x 2 - 26 yo
MacKenzie Blackwood - SJS - $2.35m x 1 - 27 yo (SJS cannot retain)
Ville Husso - DET - $4.75m x 1 - 29 yo (coming off multiple lower-body injuries)
Karel Vejmelka - UTA - $2.725m x 1 - 28 yo (trade rumor was shut down last year by Bill Armstrong)
Anton Forsberg - OTT - $2.75m x 1 - 31 yo
Vitek Vanecek - SJS - $3.4m x 1 - 28 yo (SJS cannot retain)
Cal Petterson - PHI $5.0m x 1 - 29 yo (10 team-NTC)

This group is/was "on the block" but complicated to consider for Vancouver beyond Demko's injury timeline:
John Gibson - ANA - $6.4m x 3 - 31 yo (10 team-NTC)
Tristan Jarry - PIT - $5.375m x 4 - 29 yo (12 team-NTC)
Elvis Merzlikins - CBJ - $5.4m x 3 - 30 yo (10 team-NTC)

 

[innitfam]

Goalies that have been rumored to be on the trading block or could be available:

Remaining UFA market:
Kevin Lankinen - 29 yo
Martin Jones - 34 yo
Antti Raanta - 35 yo
Malcolm Subban - 30 yo
Alexander Samonov - 28 yo (KHL contract expired I believe?)

Likely Affordable Veterans in Trade:
Alex Lyon - DET - $900k x 1 - 31 yo
Matt Murray - TOR - $875k x 1 - 30 yo (could claim him on waivers?)
Dan Vladar - CGY - $2.2m x 1 - 27 yo (heard that 50% retention was offered by CGY but that was before Markstrom was moved out)

Either one of:
Kaapo Kahkonen - WPG - $1.0m x 1 - 28 yo
Eric Comrie - WPG- $825k x 2 - 29 yo

High Acquisition Cost Rookie
Yaroslav Askarov - NSH - $925k x 1 (RFA) - 22 yo

This group would require some salary going back the other way or some retention:
Filip Gustavsson - MIN - $3.75m x 2 - 26 yo
MacKenzie Blackwood - SJS - $2.35m x 1 - 27 yo (SJS cannot retain)
Ville Husso - DET - $4.75m x 1 - 29 yo (coming off multiple lower-body injuries)
Karel Vejmelka - UTA - $2.725m x 1 - 28 yo (trade rumor was shut down last year by Bill Armstrong)
Anton Forsberg - OTT - $2.75m x 1 - 31 yo
Vitek Vanecek - SJS - $3.4m x 1 - 28 yo (SJS cannot retain)
Cal Petterson - PHI $5.0m x 1 - 29 yo (10 team-NTC)

This group is/was "on the block" but complicated to consider for Vancouver beyond Demko's injury timeline:
John Gibson - ANA - $6.4m x 3 - 31 yo (10 team-NTC)
Tristan Jarry - PIT - $5.375m x 4 - 29 yo (12 team-NTC)
Elvis Merzlikins - CBJ - $5.4m x 3 - 30 yo (10 team-NTC)

Lankinen and Lyon are the best options in this list considering role, cap hit, and acquisition cost.

 

[shootpucktouchdown]

Demko should be injured less imo. It's unreasonable, the amount of injuries he picks up out of seemingly nowhere.

This guy has solved the riddle! All players should just try being injured less. Can't believe they didn't think of that easy solution yet.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Ville Husso, you're a Canuck.

 

[Hoglander]

Something seems a little off with this. It's reported that Demko is still not %100 - not that he has had a setback. That means that they would have been aware of the situation all along. This management group has been among the most aggressive in the league, so I find it odd that nothing has been done, if they are looking at starting the season for any considerable length of time with Silovs/Patera - who have a combined 25 NHL games played. I get the impression that they still think Demko will be ready for camp.

 

[jackjohnson]

Didn't see much coverage here. Dhaliwal reporting, and a few publications have stories out now

Dhaliwal: Demko not yet 100%, no timetable; ‘wouldn’t be surprised’ if Canucks continue to poke around goalie market

It has been a quiet offseason on the Thatcher Demko news front. But CH...

canucksarmy.com

There will be noise to fill the Thatcher Demko void

Patrick Johnston: Having the Canucks goaltender end last season as a question mark means he's still a question mark going into this season

theprovince.com

Canucks Testing Goalie Market Amid Thatcher Demko's Injury

The Canucks are on the hunt for some short-term goalie help on the trade and UFA market, CHEK's Rick Dhaliwal …

www.prohockeyrumors.com

Demko is reportedly still recovering from injury. Mixed rumours on whether he will be ready for camp.
Silovs looked good in the post-season, but Canucks may be looking for a veteran backup at minimum to support.

Who is available? The Canucks just picked up Ottawa's 4th round pick for Podkolzin, so that could be in play.

Enter Askarov

 

[jackjohnson]

There is a very real chance vancouver misses the playoffs next year, they should probably load up on picks and get prepped for either a quick re-tool or rebuild.

Thats cute, are you saying this as an oilers fan or as a Canucks fan? I always get confused

He's STILL injured? So those rumors about Demko possible being ready in the Edmonton series were just more ineffective waste of time mind games by Tocchet.

Mind games probably

 

[hockeykicker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826730961767465038

 

[Peter Griffin]

Send Poolman and a pick somewhere and use his cap to sign Lankinen. Re-address situation when/if Demko returns.

 

[CrazyDuck4u]

Ducks need to trade gibson now!!

 

[Drew Doubty]

Something seems a little off with this. It's reported that Demko is still not %100 - not that he has had a setback. That means that they would have been aware of the situation all along. This management group has been among the most aggressive in the league, so I find it odd that nothing has been done, if they are looking at starting the season for any considerable length of time with Silovs/Patera - who have a combined 25 NHL games played. I get the impression that they still think Demko will be ready for camp.

Most professional athletes have a nagging, persistent injury by the mid-point of their careers, whether it's back spasms, tendonitis, even arthritis is surprisingly common. In some cases these can become career ending, in others they can be easily worked through with physio, stretching, massage etc.

My guess is Demko has something like this and it's proving to be more serious than initially thought. The doctors, trainers, and even Demko may have all thought he'd be fine by now, told management as much, and they operated under that assumption.

Very murky situation overall, but the Canucks should be fine. In the second half of last year became a defensive juggernaut, Tocchet's coaching style and emphasis on protecting the middle of the ice is designed to be easy on goalies. I reckon Demko will be back, but I'd bet my life he gets less than 50 starts even if it's available for all 82.

Lankinen has gotta be the favorite. I bet he'll sign a cheap 1 year. Where else is he going to get a healthy number of starts on a good defensive team? Obviously no one is barging down his door this year, so why not raise your stock and try to cash in next year?

 

[Son of Petter]

One of Detroit’s 8 goalies maybe?

 

[innitfam]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826730961767465038

Canucks can't do 2M. They can do like 1ish... don't see how Lankinen can really be too picky though. It's late August.

 

[nergish]

Canucks can't do 2M. They can do like 1ish... don't see how Lankinen can really be too picky though. It's late August.

Demko, Lankinen, Silovs for roughly 7-8 million is insane value and great goaltending depth for a competitive team.

 

[lawrence]

Might be finished. Luongo style. Will be injury prone from here on out.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Martin Jones?

 

[Donuts]

askarov for poolman wow

 

[Treb]

Habs can move Primeau imho.

Not really, unless they want to throw Dobes to the wolves or go with unproven Hughes.

Or they turn around and sign one of the remaining FA goalies, which the Canucks could just do.

I don't think the late pick we would get for Primeau is worth it. Might as well give him the year to establish himself.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Canucks are going to regress so hard this year

 

[Topcheese31]

I don't think canucks have to make a trade and give asset to get a 3rd string goalie.

I would personnaly go with Jones or Lankinen. Jones prove is value last year when he was called from the AHL. Did a good job.

Lankinen is more trickie. Would you rather have Silovs like a backup or Lankinen when demko will return.

 

[vokiel]

Not really, unless they want to throw Dobes to the wolves or go with unproven Hughes.

Or they turn around and sign one of the remaining FA goalies, which the Canucks could just do.

I don't think the late pick we would get for Primeau is worth it. Might as well give him the year to establish himself.

Throwing Dobes to the wolves???? Your standards are mother hen level. The man can handle it.

 

[Treb]

Throwing Dobes to the wolves???? Your standards are mother hen level. The man can handle it.

You think Dobes is ready to be full-time backup in the NHL? In Montreal?

Ok.

 

[Mister Ed]

Ville Husso for Connor Garland?

 

[vokiel]

You think Dobes is ready to be full-time backup in the NHL? In Montreal?

Ok.

Absolutely... 1 more season of bus rides in the AHL and he'll ask the same as Askarov tne next.