Vancouver Canucks should consider trading for G Eddie Lack
By Jeff Godley
Bringing back Ryan Miller could be expensive, so why not bring back a Vancouver Canucks fan favorite who may be on his way out of Carolina?
Right now, it’s unclear who will be guarding the Vancouver Canucks‘ net come October.
Currently, Jacob Markstrom and Richard Bachman are under contract. Thatcher Demko and Michael Garteig will both continue to develop in the minors next season. And Ryan Miller is an unrestricted free agent.
The Canucks will take a serious look at bringing back Miller for at least one more season. It’s understandable, given his heroic efforts in the last two years of dismal hockey in Vancouver. But there are two questions with bringing him back.
More from The Canuck Way
- Which team won the Bo Horvat trade?
- What to expect from newcomers Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Räty
- Back to the future: How the skate uniforms became a regular Canucks’ feature night
- Canucks kick off 2023 with disappointing 6-2 loss to Islanders
- 2nd period penalty trouble sinks Canucks in 4-2 loss against Winnipeg
The first is whether he wants another season in Vancouver. Yes, he wants to be close to his wife, who works out of Los Angeles. And yes, there are not many teams in the West who are searching for a starting goaltender, let alone one who will turn 37 this summer. But he’d be returning to a team that has played poorly in front of him two years running. How much tolerance does he have for losing at this stage of his career?
The second question with a Miller return is the cost. His last contract with Vancouver paid him $6 Million a year for three years. He may want another multi-year, mutli-million dollar contract with trade protection. Can the team afford any of that?
With Demko waiting in the wings, the Canucks may only need his services for a single season. They don’t want to be handcuffed at the trade deadline by a no-trade clause. And Markstrom’s salary is jumping from $1.55 Million to $3.667 Million starting next season. Vancouver should not be keen to invest a lot of money to shore up their goaltending in what will likely be another tough season. Miller may not be the answer.
Enter Eddie?
Instead, what if general manager Jim Benning brought back fan favorite Eddie Lack?
The Carolina Hurricanes just acquired Scott Darling from the Chicago Blackhawks for a third-round pick. They promptly signed him to a four-year contract at $4.15 Million per year.
So now the Canes have Darling, Lack and Cam Ward under contract. They will probably be looking to move out a goalie over the summer. Neither Lack nor Ward played very well this past season. But Ward has won a Stanley Cup in Carolina, while Lack was very publicly called out by coach Bill Peters for his poor play. There’s a good chance Lack will be the odd man out.
When Benning traded him away, Lack’s price was a third- and seventh-round pick. After two years of inconsistent play, the Canucks may be able to get him back for just one late-round pick, or for a depth players.
And once they trade for him at a bargain price, they’ll only have to pay him $2.75 Million for a single season. That leaves room for Demko if he is ready to turn pro in 2018.
Next: Draft Profile - LW Matthew Strome
Lack can then return to a city that remembers him fondly, where he has enjoyed previous success. He’ll back up first-time starter Markstrom, and will get a chance to regain his confidence in a familiar environment.
The Vancouver Canucks can take the cap space they save on Miller and invest it elsewhere. They only need a short-term backup goalie, and Eddie Lack could be just the ticket.