Vancouver Canucks Activate Ferland, Beagle, And Markstrom
The Vancouver Canucks will be a lot closer to full strength when they take the ice this afternoon. The team has announced that forwards Micheal Ferland and Jay Beagle have been activated from the injured reserve, while goaltender Jacob Markstrom has been activated from the non-roster list following a leave of absence. The returns come just days after Antoine Roussel made his season debut after overcoming injury as well.
Ferland’s return to the lineup will be the greatest change in status quo for the Canucks. A free agent addition coming off a career year, Ferland suffered a concussion just 12 games into the season and has been on the IR since November 1st. The physical winger has just five points on the year, but recorded 40 points in 71 games last year, including a career high in assists. If he remains healthy, Ferland would be on pace for 65 games this regular season and the Canucks hope that might be enough to gt him back into that 40-point range. At the very least, Ferland will provide a physical presence and an injection of energy for the Vancouver forward corps
Beagle returns to the lineup at the earliest possible time, just ten days after he was placed on IR on November 27th. Yet, the veteran has been beat up for much of the early season, missing a total of nine games thus far due to a lower-body injury. Beagle’s scoring numbers may be down to begin the year, but he will be a welcome addition nonetheless. The experienced two-way forward is a leader and difference-maker on the ice for the Canucks, particularly at the face-off dot. Despite missing considerable time, Beagle remains second on the team in face-off wins thanks to a whopping 60% success rate. He is also a key piece to the team’s penalty kill, which has struggled in his absence and slipped into the bottom half of the league.
Markstrom returns to the team after being given the week off to attend his father’s memorial service in his native Sweden. Thatcher Demko will get the start again today, with Markstrom likely to return to the crease on Tuesday. Markstrom has played well this season with a .913 save percentage and 2.70 GAA and he and Demko have combined to provide consistent goaltending for Vancouver. The question this season will continue to be whether the Canucks feel they need to re-sign Markstrom, arguably the second-best keeper on the free agent market, or instead see Demko as ready to take over the starter’s role.
Even with this trio back in action, the Canucks are not fully healthy. The team was forced to place Alexander Edler and Tyler Graovac on injured reserve earlier this week, while Brandon Sutter and Tyler Motte remain there as well. There has been little news on a return from any of the group, although the initial timeline for Motte’s injury should have him back sooner rather than later. Additionally, with three additions to the active roster, the Canucks have sent down forward Zack MacEwen, who re-joins the AHL’s Utica Comets.
Minor Transactions: 12/02/19
Five games are on tap for this evening in the NHL, including the Detroit Red Wings trying to avoid a ten-game losing streak when they welcome in the Buffalo Sabres. The Red Wings have been a mess all season and look like strong contenders to land the first-overall pick in 2020. As teams prepare for action, we’ll be keeping track of all the minor moves.
- Jacob Markstrom has been granted a leave of absence from the Vancouver Canucks in order to attend the memorial service of his late father, meaning Michael Dipietro is on his way up to serve as an emergency goaltender. The Canucks take on the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night and will likely have Thatcher Demko in net.
- Brendan Gaunce has been sent to the minor leagues by the Boston Bruins to make room for John Moore, who the team has finally activated from long-term injured reserve. Moore hasn’t played a single game for the Bruins this season but will be a welcome addition to one of the best teams in the NHL.
- Ryan Miller will be starting for the Anaheim Ducks after John Gibson came down with an illness today, leading to the recall of Anthony Stolarz. The 25-year old Stolarz has a .910 save percentage in 14 games for the San Diego Gulls this season.
Negotiation Notes: Backstrom, Markstrom, Babcock
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had plenty to say on last night’s edition of “Saturday Headlines”, but none more important that news on negotiations between the Washington Capitals and star center Nicklas Backstrom. Despite his age, the 32-year-old Backstrom will be one of, if not the top player available should he hit the free agent market this coming summer. One of the top players in Capitals history, Backstrom is the epitome of consistency as a reliable 70+ point threat every year and he has shown no signs of slowing down. Washington previously stated that they would be patient with contract talks with both Backstrom and starting goalie Braden Holtby, but Friedman reports that negotiations are officially underway with Backstrom at least. On top of that, Backstrom has also elected not to use an agent for these extension talks, which could be a good indication that he is concerned more with staying in Washington than he is maximizing he free agency value. Backstrom showed a willingness to take term over money on his last deal – a ten-year, $67MM pact signed before the current eight-year limit was implemented – and he could do so again. While he won’t get a max-term offer, much less another decade deal from Washington, Backstrom also knows that he can command more than his previous $6.7MM cap hit. However, in terms of the current landscape of NHL contracts, it is very possible that Backstrom still opts to take a hometown discount to stay with the Caps that pays him below market value over a significant term, ensuring that he can stay and likely finish out his career in Washington.
- Jacob Markstrom and the Vancouver Canucks have yet to formally begin contract extension talks, as the impending free agent goaltender has had personal issues to deal with early this season, but Friedman reports that those discussions are expected to “intensify” over the coming weeks. He believes that the Canucks, despite their depth in promising goalie prospects like Thatcher Demko and Michael DiPietro, still hope and plan on bringing Markstrom back. The team will have to make a significant commitment to do so, as the 29-year-old should draw considerable interest if he hits the open market this summer. Among impending UFA goalies, Markstrom is second only to Holtby right now in games played, with the next closest being geriatric options like Craig Anderson and Mike Smith. This is not to say that Holtby and Markstrom will be the only two keepers viewed as potential starters this summer, but he is one of a small group who can back up a claim of being an established NHL workhorse starter. Markstrom is also in the top five among potential free agent stoppers with at least ten games played in save percentage and goals against average. With relative youth and solid numbers on his side, Markstrom is easily looking at an improvement to his current three-year, $11MM contract, whether that offer comes from Vancouver or elsewhere.
- As for a current free agent, recently-fired Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, Friedman warns not to get hopes up for a quick re-location. He states that “informal feelers” have already been sent out by teams and media members alike to see where Babcock’s head is at with regards to coaching again this season. There will likely be some more coaching vacancies down the road in 2019-20 and clubs will certainly be interested in at least talking to Babcock. However, Friedman has inferred from the results of those conversations that the coach is planning to take some time off before jumping into a new gig. Those closest to Babcock do not believe that he will coach again this season. It’s worth noting as well that Babcock is still under contract with Toronto, having only been relieved of his coaching duties for now, meaning all interested teams will first have to seek permission to interview the veteran bench boss.
Minor Transactions: 10/14/19
Get ready for a full day of hockey. Monday’s lineup features four games being held at 1:00pm home team local time, as well as 3:00pm, 5:00pm, and 7:30pm. Among the story lines to watch are the Wild, Devils, and Blackhawks seeking their first wins of the season, the Avalanche and Oilers looking to stay perfect, and a collision of the league’s two stingiest teams, the Ducks and Bruins. Also to watch for are the roster moves made to open up the third week of the season. Keep up with all of the action here:
- The Ottawa Senators continue to routinely shuffle their forward group around early this season. After giving youngsters like Drake Batherson, Filip Chlapik, and Vitaly Abramov a chance already, the team has recalled a pair of veterans from AHL Belleville. The team announced that Nick Paul and Jordan Szwarz have been promoted to Ottawa. While Paul is a familiar name to Sens fans, Szwarz is a new free agent addition. The long-time AHL veteran and former Providence Bruins captain has played in 47 NHL games in his career, split between Arizona and Boston. His reliable two-way energy game could be more of the boost that the coaching staff feels they need right now rather than the offensive focus of the team’s top young prospects. This recall would also seem to indicate that there is a chance that Mikkel Boedker and Artem Anisimov are not ready to return to the lineup today as expected.
- After flipping Kyle Capobianco to the AHL for Ilya Lyubushkin on Saturday, the Coyotes are now flopping. CapFriendly reports that Capobianco has been called back up from the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners. The move comes on the heels of an injury to Niklas Hjalmarsson on Saturday that will likely push either Capobianco or Lyubushkin into a starting role for the time being.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a somewhat surprising switch. The team announced that 19-year-old rookie defenseman Rasmus Sandin has been sent down to the AHL’s Marlies, while free agent addition and veteran blue liner Kevin Gravel has been recalled in his place. Sandin, considered by many to be Toronto’s top D prospect, had skated in all six games for the team thus far and recorded a pair of assists, strong possession numbers, and an even plus/minus rating. Although, Sandin’s ice time has been limited and his special teams role has been non-existent, so this could be about putting him in a better position to develop in the AHL. However, this may be more about adding Gravel than subtracting Sandin. The Leafs have surrendered at least three goals in four of their six games so far, including a 7-3 drubbing by the Tampa Bay Lightning. They may simply be looking to tighten things up on the back end and stay-at-home specialist Gravel can help. Gravel has recorded 137 blocked shots and 124 hits in 106 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers.
- Steven Oleksy worked his way up from the ECHL ranks early in his career and has been on an NHL contract every year since 2012. However, that streak was snapped this summer when the 33-year-old seemingly could not attract another two-way deal. His bad luck now continues, as the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announced that they have released Oleksy from his tryout agreement. The veteran of 73 NHL games and more than 400 AHL games saw his production fall off somewhat last year in a season split between the San Diego Gulls and Toronto Marlies, but is simply looking for the opportunity to show he can still contribute. In all likelihood, Oleksy will land on his feet elsewhere in pro hockey sooner rather than later.
- The Vancouver Canucks have granted starter Jacob Markstrom a leave of absence to attend to a family matter. He is expected to re-join the team later this week. In the meantime, Vancouver announced that Zane McIntyre has been recalled to serve as the backup to Thatcher Demko. McIntyre, a free agent addition, has made eight NHL appearances in his career with the Boston Bruins, all back in 2016-17. Ironically, his lone call-up last season was to serve as backup to Jaroslav Halak while Tuukka Rask took a leave of absence himself. McIntyre was a star at the college level and has strong AHL numbers, but at 27 years old he no longer a prospect that the Canucks would be trying to force into play time. Expect them to lean on Demko until Markstrom returns.
Canucks Sign Thatcher Demko To Two-Year Extension
The Vancouver Canucks have several restricted free agents to get under contract before next season, but they’ve managed to get a prominent one done early on this off-season. The Canucks announced today that they have signed goaltender Thatcher Demko to a two-year contract extension. The new deal carries a $1.05MM AAV in each of the two seasons, a value that could prove to be a bargain for the promising netminder. On top of that, the 23-year-old will again be an RFA at the conclusion of this contract, making this very much a risk-free move by Vancouver.
Demko, a second-round pick out of Boston College in 2014, has been slow to come along, but has finally started to live up to his draft stock. The talented young keeper appeared in only on NHL game in 2017-18 (and struggled), but made nine appearances this year to the tune of a .913 save percentage. That alone is good for a rookie goalie, but even more promising when paired with three years of strong AHL numbers. While Demko has good size at 6’4″, he is first and foremost and athletic goalie. He doesn’t need to use his reflexes to compensate for his stature, but has those next-level instincts all the same. Yet, he also has composure that stands out against other young goalies. With continued coaching, Demko could be a top goalie in the NHL
Demko has been a rising star since Boston College through AHL Utica and will now take on a full-time roll in Vancouver. The question remaining is how soon he will be expected to be the starter. Despite his ample ability, Demko’s window may be small. Current starter Jacob Markstrom is signed through next season; given Demko’s reasonable salary, the team may opt to extend Markstrom as well if Demko cannot assume starter duty in 2019-20. On the other end of the spectrum, if Demko can’t take over the reins in the next few years, prospect Michael DiPietro could be gunning for the starter’s job before too long. DiPietro, 19, was a third-round pick in 2017 and has quickly risen to elite status among goalie prospects. DiPietro was forced into an unfortunate NHL debut this season, but has otherwise been remarkable in the OHL and at the World Juniors. Demko will have a fire under him to play at his best and prove himself to be starter material as soon as possible, so that the Canucks don’t get any ideas about Markstrom, DiPietro, or anyone else as a better long-term solution in net.
Morning Notes: Smith-Pelly, Boychuk, Sweden
The Washington Capitals have recalled Devante Smith-Pelly ahead of their next game against the Carolina Hurricanes. T.J. Oshie “won’t be playing any time soon” according to head coach Todd Reirden after the forward was run into the boards by Carolina’s Warren Foegele last night. Foegele will not receive any disciplinary action from the league for the hit, but the Capitals will still have to find a way forward without one of their leaders up front.
In comes Smith-Pelly, who spent a good chunk of the year in the minor leagues after being waived by the team earlier this year. The 2018 playoff hero had 14 points in 20 games for the Hershey Bears, but will now try to prove that he still belongs on the NHL team. In 48 career playoff games, Smith-Pelly has 13 goals—just one off the highest regular season total of his career.
- It’s not just Oshie that will miss time in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The New York Islanders announced today that Johnny Boychuk will be out for three to four weeks with a lower-body injury. Some of that time will be spent waiting for their next opponent after the Islanders swept the Pittsburgh Penguins out of the playoffs, but losing Boychuk for at least the first part of round two is certainly not ideal. The 35-year old Boychuk was as steady as ever this season for New York, logging nearly 19 minutes a night and contributing 19 points in 74 games.
- Sweden has announced their first 13 players that will be suiting up at the IIHF World Championship next month, and the group includes a legendary international name. Henrik Lundqvist will answer the call once again for his country, joining Jacob Markstrom to form a strong tandem in net. Adam Larsson, Erik Gustafsson, Robert Hagg, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson will attend on defense, while the forward group currently includes Elias Pettersson, Oskar Lindblom, Adrian Kempe, Mario Kempe, Marcus Kruger, Loui Eriksson and Jesper Bratt.
Jacob Markstrom Hopes To Sign Extension In Vancouver
The Vancouver Canucks have a pair of young goaltending prospects coming through the system in Thatcher Demko and Michael DiPietro that would make other teams envious. Both have the potential to contribute at the NHL level, and after adding Jake Kielly recently the team has strengthened their depth at the position. Still, the best goaltender in the organization right now is Jacob Markstrom, who posted another strong season and has established himself as a legitimate starter in the league.
Markstrom, 29, has just a single year left on his current deal however and can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020. With the talent coming through the pipeline for Vancouver they may choose to go in a different direction, but Markstrom certainly hopes to stay. That’s what his agent Pat Morris told Sportsnet radio (via Rick Dhaliwal) today:
I have had discussions with Jacob and he calls Vancouver home. He would like to be a part of it long term. That’s where his instructions will lean, to try and get something done.
It takes two to get a deal done, it takes term and it takes dollars. The player has to be willing and Jacob has enjoyed his time in Vancouver and wants it to continue.
What that deal would look like isn’t clear at this point, as there are plenty of things to consider from Vancouver’s perspective. First and foremost is how much an extension would cost, given Markstrom is already making $3.67MM next season. Committing to a long-term deal would essentially be handing him the reins for the Canucks’ upcoming window of contention, even though it is not yet clear if he can really be a standout at the position. Markstrom’s .912 save percentage the last two years is solid, but he’s shown a lack of consistency at times.
The other thing is the upcoming expansion draft, in which you can only protect one goaltender. Markstrom and Demko will both be eligible for the draft, meaning the team may want to move on from one of them before they’re at risk of being snapped up by the Seattle franchise. That won’t be happening until 2021, but it will certainly figure into the decision making process this summer when it comes to a potential Markstrom extension.
Either way, the Canucks don’t necessarily have to make that decision right away. The team is expecting to compete for a playoff spot next season and will likely give Markstrom the first crack at taking them there, but any struggles could see Demko’s time come without hesitation.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Canucks Notes: Demko, Hutton, Schenn, Lockwood
With the impressive play of Jacob Markstrom this season, the Vancouver Canucks have an interesting conundrum to face as the team suddenly may have themselves too much goaltending depth. The 29-year-old Markstrom has had another solid season as the Canucks’ starting goaltender, posting a winning record of 28-22-9 on a losing team, while posting a 2.76 GAA and a .913 save percentage.
However, Markstrom’s solid play raises some questions, according to the Vancouver Sun’s Patrick Johnston, who suggests that with his improved play, the team might want to consider trading from strength and consider moving top goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko this off-season. With another franchise goaltender in waiting with 19-year-old Michael DiPietro ready to go pro next season, the team could move Demko without significant loss. Demko has played in seven NHL games, and has played extremely well in five of those games. However, because of two poor outings, his .903 save percentage doesn’t look as impressive.
Regardless, the 23-year-old Demko would be high in demand from teams looking for a future franchise goaltender. Johnston suggests it’s a similar situation to when the team opted to trade goaltender Cory Schneider back in 2013 for a first-round pick, which eventually turned out to be Bo Horvat.
- The Athletic’s Harman Dayal (subscription required) writes that Vancouver should consider moving defenseman Ben Hutton. The 25-year-old blue liner seems to have returned to the form he showed in an impressive rookie year back in the 2015-16 season. After two seasons of struggles, Hutton has once again proven to be a top-four defenseman. Regardless, Dayal suggests that the 25-year-old’s success might be the best the team will ever see and they might be better off moving on from him now while his value is at its highest.
- The Canucks are close to signing defenseman Luke Schenn to a one-year contract extension, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman late last night on Hockey Night in Canada. Schenn, who came over to the Canucks in a January swap with the Anaheim Ducks for Michael Del Zotto, has fared well, showing energy and becoming a quick fan favorite in his 15 games with Vancouver. Schenn, who fell out of favor in Anaheim, is currently finishing out a one-year, $800K deal that he signed with the Ducks last offseason.
- In the same commentary, Friedman also confirmed rumors that University of Michigan forward William Lockwood has told the Canucks that he intends to return to college for his senior year. The 20-year-old had a solid year with the Wolverines as he tallied 16 goals and 31 points in 36 games last season. The 2016 third-round pick out of Michigan could opt to become a unrestricted free agent at this point next season.
No Extension Talks Between Vancouver Canucks, Jacob Markstrom
The Vancouver Canucks have had plenty of intrigue at the goaltender position this season, finding themselves without anyone to start in the minor leagues at various times. All that was caused by trading away Anders Nilsson, knowing that they wanted to give young up-and-comer Thatcher Demko a shot in the NHL. While Demko has looked fine in his five appearances, the more impressive run has been by 29-year old Jacob Markstrom.
Markstrom has a .929 save percentage over his last 14 starts, raising his numbers on the year to .915—the best mark of his career. He’s recorded a 26-20-9 record through 55 starts, an impressive total for a team that has lost more games than they’ve won overall on the season. While Demko may still represent the goaltender of the future, this run by Markstrom has definitely put himself in position for a potential extension. His current deal, which carries just a $3.67MM cap hit, expires after 2019-20 meaning he could sign an extension this July. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet though reports that there have been no talks yet between the two sides.
There’s good reason to believe that Markstrom has finally started to figure things out. He now has a .913 save percentage across his last four seasons, and has looked poised all year long behind an exciting Vancouver team. Remember this is a player that was selected 31st overall in 2008, and experienced incredible success early in his career. Markstrom was named the best goaltender at the 2008 World Junior tournament, carrying his Swedish team to a silver medal, and then won SHL Rookie and Goaltender of the Year after the 2009-10 season.
While the Canucks may not be competing for the Stanley Cup next season, their young core of Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and others are going to be pushing for the playoffs before long. The team will have to decide who they want backstopping that group, and whether they can afford to keep Markstrom around. Demko meanwhile is a restricted free agent this summer, but does not have arbitration rights and likely will have to settle for an inexpensive deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Injury Notes: Koivu, Wilson, Tanev
Mikko Koivu‘s season is over and it’s already had a massive impact on his team. However, the Minnesota Wild captain wants everyone to know that next year is not in doubt. The Associate Press report on Koivu’s major knee injury was actually overwhelmingly positive. Less than a week after reconstructive surgery to repair a torn ACL, Koivu said the following yesterday about his potential return for 2019-20 training camp:
I’m totally confident… I think it’s about your effort, the way you take care of yourself on and off the ice, and at the end, it’s going to be a battle. But if you’re strong enough, you’re going to be able to do it… It’s a fact that this knee will be stronger than I’ve ever experienced. The rest of it is up to me.
The typical recovery time for this injury is six to nine months and especially for a soon-to-be-36-year-old, the latter end of that timeline seems more likely. However, Koivu has never given anyone a reason to doubt his dedication and work ethic, so his own optimism means a lot. Some thought that this could be a career-ending injury for the respected veteran; he merely sees it as a minor setback.
- The Colorado Avalanche have all but confirmed that they won’t be major buyers at the trade deadline, but they might have a hard time being sellers too. The young team is not looking to move their long-term investments nor the players needed to win down the stretch and few good other rental options exist on the roster. The one player that does stand out as a valuable rental target is forward Colin Wilson, who has redeemed himself this season after an abysmal first year in Colorado. Wilson is a versatile, veteran forward who can be a major boost to a contender’s bottom-six. However, he’s also now on the injured reserve. CapFriendly reports that Wilson has been moved to the IR by the Avs with an undisclosed upper-body injury. The requisite ten days on the IR will give Wilson at most two games to show that he is healthy, if he is even ready to play by then. This could make it hard to the Avalanche to shop their most prized impending free agent.
- The injuries continue to pile on for the Vancouver Canucks, as Chris Tanev has also joined the injured reserve. While the Canucks were happy to get starting goalie Jacob Markstrom back last night, Tanev is the latest in a long list of injuries, including Sven Baertschi, Alexander Edler, Thatcher Demko, Brandon Sutter, and Jake Virtanen. Of that group, only Virtanen has managed to stay off the IR.