Trade talks ESCALATING... - This report is INSANE

Trade talks are escalating as we get a major report coming out from NHL insiders linking Thatcher Demko to an Eastern Conference team as the Vancouver Canucks have big questions with their goaltending duo going into next season. We're going to break down the team that he's linked to, why the Canucks would do this, and why the Canucks shouldn't move on from Thatcher Demko, plus everything you need to know on this situation later on this episode. Before we get into that, if you're part of the 67% watching this and you haven't hit that sub button yet, make sure to go down and hit it. It's completely free, it helps us out a ton, and in return we'll give you updates from all around the Vancouver Canucks, their prospects, trade reports, rumors, the habits for Canucks, everything you need to know around this team in daily episodes so you're not going to want to miss that. But let's just hop straight into the first topic today where we did get a report coming out from Frank Shiravelli. Now with Frank, he did do a top trade target heading into this offseason. We can see the list, this is going to be down in the description if you want to read it, but at number 18, Thatcher Demko. Now the Canucks have an interesting dilemma on their hands. They have a talented goaltender who is one of the faces of the franchise dealing with a significant injury. He's battled through it, put up reasonable numbers, and looked great on nights, but the Canucks also re-signed Kevin Lankin into a five-year extension. Now before we get into the team, yes, we know they signed Kevin Lankin into his new extension. This is set to kick in next season 4.5 million, year one of five, so they do have Kevin Lankin on this contract for five more seasons starting next year. This will end at 35, and he did put up incredible numbers throughout this season with the Canucks. We see him come in on the 875k contract, looking like an absolute steal. Coming in, playing majority of the game for the Canucks, as we know, Thatcher went down with an injury yet again. But before we get into that, just looking at Kevin Lankin, I mean a 902 doesn't look flashy. This was a team that dealt with a lot of turnaround. We've seen a lot of players move out, and they had a pretty bad season to say the least. But a 902 Sabreson, it's 25, 15, and 10. We've seen Kevin Lankin be the saving grace of this Canucks team during the season, which led to his, once again, huge contract that he did end up signing. Now looking at Thatcher Demko, I just want to make it very clear. I don't think moving on from Thatcher, especially with his value being this low, I mean we know what he can do, a Vesna candidate, someone that can win you games and bring you straight to the playoffs. Going into next season with an injury might not be the best time to move on from him. But we know Thatcher did struggle a tiny bit, and like I said, this was a team that didn't really help him out a lot. But during 23 games, 10, 8, and 3, an 889 save percentage, it wasn't the best season from Thatcher Demko. Last year, a 918 save percentage was incredible. But if the Canucks are not content with spending almost $10 million on two goaltenders, if they want to get cheaper so they can spend more money to re-sign Brock Nessar, bring in a new right winger, bring in a new center, Thatcher Demko could be the name that a lot of people are looking at. And I mean, currently, right now, we know Artur Shilovs is having a historic run. As you can see from Ben Kuzma, Shilovs is just the fourth AHL goalie to post four playoff shutouts in one season. He has been stellar since going down to Absurd. We know the problems with Shilovs. He struggled to start the season with the Vancouver Canucks being demoted to the Absurd Canucks, getting a 908 save percentage. But when getting into the playoffs, like we've seen with the Canucks, he really turned things around. I mean, right now, a 936 save percentage in 12 games, pushing the Absurd Canucks to the conference finals, looking like they're going to make a run. If you haven't watched Absurd games, you really need to watch it. But Shilovs has been the saving grace of this Absurd team, and he's really making a push to maybe make himself in this lineup next season. And that's where it leaves the Canucks too. Do you move on from Thatcher Demko? Do you move on from the goalie that you've had for season after season? Show that he can will you right into the playoffs. Do you move on to him to another team? I mean, right now, like I said, Shilovs has shown in the HL. He showed flashes in the NHL. But going into training camp, we know that Patrick LV doesn't make moves until you get in the training camp. We've seen a lot of the moves. Casey Smith was a goaltender they acquired in the middle of training camp. This is a team that very well could cheat. Shilovs come in and dominate in the training camp, going into the preseason, and they feel comfortable moving on from Thatcher with this defense improving. We know going into next year, Tom Whelan or someone that could slide in. Mancini is very much a piece that can come in as well. But looking at the defense compared to what they had at the start of the season does make it a lot easier on the goaltenders. They can go out. They're going to have a new system in Adams. But maybe they go out and pick up more defensible, reliable forwards to add to the group. But having a new sound defensive core that you can play in front of Shilovs isn't smart to free up that 5 million. Use this as trade pieces. And I mean, going back to the article, we can see Frank Shiravelli went out to save. Demko seems awfully loyal to Rick Tocket, wondering if a reunion in Philadelphia is possible. Now looking at the options in Philly, there's not a lot at the moment with the goaltenders. You're not going to bring in a goaltender. The center position is a little weak. I mean, right now with the goaltenders, they were statistically one of the worst duos, if not the worst goalie duos in the NHL. Getting Thatcher Demko helps them. But listen, this is not a video. I don't care what Philly wants, what Philly does, or how they get better. But Thatcher Demko is a piece where you can maybe flip and get an elite winger. Now one option that I think the Canucks would have to look at to continuously push to make this team better is Owen Tippett. Owen Tippett is on year two of eight going into next year. 6.2 million, 26 years old. You're getting a young forward back that can play the right wing, play the left wing. He can come in, build the void of Brock Bester, and you still save some money. But the biggest thing with Owen Tippett, he is an elite goal scorer. We can see a Philadelphia team that wasn't the best offensively, so don't look at the plus minus. Still only a minus 12, which is not as bad as some people expected. But in three seasons in a row, 27 goals, 28 goals, and 20 goals. A big thing a lot of people don't talk about, if you look on the right side of the screen, is his hit totals. In three straight seasons, he's had a hundred plus hits, going as far as almost having 158 in 78 games last year. Owen Tippett is a big body that can score you goals, and I think this is exactly what the Canucks need to bring in to add more heaviness in this Western Conference that is continuously getting harder to play against. I mean, you've seen the Vegas Golden Knights almost kill people most nights. The Oilers are a team that are getting quite dirty. We need players that are going to contribute on the offensive side, but also throw hits. We've seen Kiefer Sherwood be a huge piece. But I mean, Canucks fans, the biggest thing is, looking at this Canucks defensive core, we know it's got better. We know at the start of the year, we had D'Ernays on the back end. We had a lot of questionable pieces. I mean, they even went out and got Eric Branson signed in Switzerland. I mean, good riddance. He can stay over there. Kind of cool for a run, but I don't think he's an NHL player at this point, at least. But looking at the Canucks defensive end, it's getting better. Could you see a world where they move on from Patrick Demko, and would you feel safe going out and bringing in Artur Shilovs as the full-time backup? We know the contract's going to expire at the end of the year. There's a world where we see him come up, not next season, but the season after. But do you risk losing Patrick Demko for nothing? Do you feel comfortable bringing Shilovs up after this historic run that he's having with Canucks? Or would you rather just stay with the familiar faces in Kevin Lankin, who we've seen come in as someone that can take over a starting role or a 1A? Would you be fine with bringing Patrick Demko back as a 1B or 1A goaltender? And the biggest issue and the biggest question surrounding the Canucks, if you bring Patrick Demko back next year, if he goes down with another injury, you lose this guy for absolutely nothing going into next year's July 1st. This is the team that needs to recruit as much assets as possible. We know the current situation. They need a right winger. They need a center. What is the status on Philip Ketel? The defense is locked up, but every other position feels like a very big question mark around them. Canucks fans, would you be fine moving on? Do you think a trade partner with Philly would be smart? Sending him with Rick Tocket, what would you like back? Is Owen Tippett the piece that you like back? A goal scorer that can throw hits? Is there someone else on this team? Maybe you would rather prospects back? Maybe picks to use in a bigger trade? Canucks fans, what is your thoughts on this? Go down and leave a comment below. Who would you rather get from Philly? Would you move on from Patrick Demko? Would you be comfortable with Kevin Lankin and Shilovs, or would you rather go into July 1st to pick up a backup goaltender so you can run a three-headed trio of Shilovs, Lankin, and someone else? Go down and leave a comment on all this down below. I am battling a flu right now, so I hope you enjoyed, and hopefully you made it this far. If you did, go down and hit that subscribe button. Just leave a comment on anything. Leave a comment saying, Pye, just so I know you made it this far. But anyway, I'm your host, Mark Pye. I hope you enjoyed this, and take care.