Jim Benning has a very difficult task this off-season deciding whether to re-sign Jacob Markstrom or go with Thatcher Demko as the team's starter. jbenny15 breaks down a decision that will shape the Canucks for years to come.
almost single handedly led the Canucks to the upset with three huge performances in Games 5, 6 and7.
Markstrom joined the Canucks from the Florida Panthers as part of the return in the 2014 Roberto Luongo trade and is the third-longest serving player on the current roster. If these playoffs are any indication, Vancouver is entering a win-now window and his unquantifiable veteran presence would be a valuable asset.
Some other factors are at play in Demko’s favour. One of them is the Seattle Kraken expansion draft, set to happen after the 2020-21 season ends, whenever that may be. The Canucks can only protect one goalie from their new northwest rivals so signing Markstrom long-term could expose Demko to be taken freely by the Kraken. While that would only add more fuel to the rivalry from a fan’s perspective, the Canucks would be setting themselves back by losing their goalie of the future that way.
Demko’s historic week in the Edmonton bubble, where he stopped 123 of 125 shots faced in three games, is one variable to this equation, too, but a decision like this isn’t made based on small sample size. However, the young goalie’s track record of success extends far beyond three playoff games.
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