Markstrom hopes to be back with the Canucks next year but a deal is secondary right now
Iain MacIntrye of Sportsnet: Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom is a pending unrestricted free agent and was having a career year. Markstrom said that hockey and free agency are secondary nowadays.
“With all the other stuff, hockey has kind of become not so important with everything going on around the world,” Markstrom told reporters in a conference call from Sweden on Wednesday. “Obviously, I would have liked to have a long-term deal and know what I’m going to do for the next few years here. But that’s not the case right now. Nobody knows what’s going to happen this year. Hopefully, we get back playing. Even next year, and cap hits and all that stuff, hockey is kind of secondary.”
Markstrom hopes that he is able to play with the Canucks beyond this season.
“In my mind, I want to stay in Vancouver. That’s my goal. The season isn’t over this year, either. I’m still hoping we can come back and play and make a push in the playoffs here.”
Canucks GM Jim Benning doesn’t want Markstrom to leave either. What next year’s salary cap is going to look like and if they can fit his salary is a big question.
Thomas Drance of The Athletic: Pending free agent Jacob Markstrom during his conference call.
“In my mind, I want to stay in Vancouver,” … “In my mind, that’s my goal” … “has no plans of leaving.”
Markstrom will be the Canucks main priority this offseason, but they will also try to re-sign forward Tyler Toffoli.
Markstrom’s agent Pat Morris on Wednesday.
“Jacob has consistently said that he’d like to be in Vancouver and finish his career there. He has been very clear on this,” said Markstrom’s agent Pat Morris of Newport Sports Management in a brief conversation with The Athletic on Wednesday afternoon.
“When you want to be somewhere, you’re willing to be flexible, but with that said he’s also very proud of what he’s accomplished, particularly over the last two seasons,” Morris continued. “Vancouver means a lot to him, the city does, the team does and the organization does and he feels a relationship with the fans. This is where he became a No. 1 goaltender. He’s hopeful that there can be more certainty for Vancouver to make a decision.”
Canucks GM Jim Benning said they are in a holding pattern as they don’t know what the salary cap is going to be next year, but he’ll try to get a contract worked out when some things get established.
“I don’t know what the cap is going to look like next year,” Benning continued. “When we have a better idea, Jacob is an important player in our group. We’re trying to build a culture here and he fits into it, a competitive, hardworking guy. He’s one of the leaders of our team. We want to try and figure out a contract for him, but with everything that’s going on, we need to be patient.
“Once some things get figured out, we’ll go at him hard and try to figure out some sort of a deal.”
