A thought-provoking and perhaps controversial position by JD Burke:
If I'm the Canucks, I'd seriously consider trading Jacob Markstrom at the deadline.I happen to like this idea a LOT.
I love what Markstrom has done for the Canucks for these past few years, but I have to also consider that this team has no cap space at all to keep all the assets they'd like (Tanev (who i also think they ought to see what the market will bear), Stecher, Virtanen, Gaudette and possibly Leivo among others), while still finding money to get Hughes and Petterson new contracts in 2021. Their current
cap situation is a product of GMJB's cap mismanagement and he can't possibly keep everyone he'd like. They can't protect both Markstrom and Demko at the expansion draft two summers from now.
After watching them get shoved around in Boston, then get throttled by Minnesota (!), I don't think they will go more than one round if they do make the playoffs, regardless of who is in goal (Markstrom or Demko). They are still bleeding shots from high-danger areas at far too high a rate and I just don't see them going deep given the inconsistencies in their own zone.
If GMJB can recoup the first rounder he traded to get JT Miller for Markstrom or Demko, I'd say go for it. They've been saying for a while now that Demko is their goalie of the future... He's the right age bracket to go along with Hughes, Petterson, Boeser and Horvat so why not? But, this feels like Luongo/Schneider 2.0 where I'd prefer they trade the older vet near his peak, but it's the younger kid who brings the best return. Given the UFA goalie market this summer, I'd guess that the return will be far lower than a first or second at the trade deadline.