The Vancouver Canucks are unlikely to come anywhere near a playoff spot this upcoming season. But that’s okay. The team is officially rebuilding. So, another bottom-five finish will be par for the course.
With that in mind, the organization will be looking to shed some contracts. It’s not that the team necessarily wants to get rid of some players, but a rebuilding team doesn’t need an $8.5 million goaltender.
Yes, that’s a hint that the Canucks could be looking to move Thatcher Demko.
But who would want to take on such a contract, considering Demko’s questionable health issues? It just so happens that the New Jersey Devils might be a potential trade partner for the Canucks.
The Devils, in particular, shed an unwanted goalie contract of their own, sending Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers. Now, it seems the plan in New Jersey is to roll with Jake Allen and Nico Daws.
Please bear in mind that this is supposed to be a playoff team.
That’s why the Devils are surely looking around for another option to shore up the crease. And Demko would certainly qualify.
But would the Devils be willing to take on Demko’s contract at face value? Not likely. The Canucks would have to eat up most of the contract. Then again, Vancouver can afford to do that as a rebuilding club.
Why It Would Make Sense for Canucks to Retain on Demko
Beyond merely being a rebuilding club, the Canucks can retain, even as much as 50%, on Demko. The good news is that it’s just a three-year deal. That will hopefully be the timeframe in which the club will be looking to turn a corner in the rebuild.
The thing here is that the Devils currently have about $8.6 million in cap space. That’s not enough to add an onerous contract like Demko’s. But at, say, $4.25 million, Demko doesn’t look so bad. Plus, the Devils could still keep Allen and Daws to support Demko.
Since it’s likely that Demko could go down at one point or another, having two capable netminders provides reassurance. That’s why this deal could actually work.
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What Could Vancouver Expect to Get in Return?
The major question would be: What could the Canucks expect to get in return for Demko?
That’s the major issue here. If the Canucks don’t stand to get very much for Demko, the only reason for trading him would be to clear cap space.
But Vancouver doesn’t really need to clear cap space. That’s why, unless the Devils are willing to pay up with multiple draft picks, trading Demko doesn’t really seem like a necessity.
That said, the Canucks might be willing to do the veteran goalie a solid. The club may be willing to send him to a team with a chance to make the postseason. Since a couple of long seasons lie ahead for Vancouver, it would be a nice gesture to give Demko another shot at the postseason.
The bottom line is that the Canucks are in no hurry to trade Demko. Given the club’s current situation, it can afford to wait for Demko to get fully healthy. If he comes back playing his Vezina-caliber style, he may just be able to steal enough games for the Canucks to squeak into the playoffs.
That situation might be enough to convince a team like New Jersey to pay up.
Canucks Might Find Interesting Trade Partner for Demko