Buffalo Sabres Trade Rumors: Canucks Goalie On The Move

Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning told reporters today that he plans to trade a goaltender either today or tomorrow. Assuming it won’t be Ryan Miller, Eddie Lack or Jacob Markstrom are going to be traded out of Vancouver. The Buffalo Sabres have one glaring need for the immediate and long term future, and that is a goaltender. Both sides make logical trade partners with each other.

Tim Murray said that he wants to start trading. Jim Benning wants to start trading. The two were meant for each other. Another interesting development is that the Canucks asked Kevin Bieksa if he’d wave his no trade clause. Would the Sabres also be interested in Bieksa? They could considering he has a pretty expensive contract which could help the Sabres get to the cap floor.  He also could be an interesting trade piece if the Sabres want to try to acquire Ryan O’Reilly. The Avalanche want a defenseman and Bieksa could interest them.

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Eddie Lack is 27 years old and has been in the NHL for two years. He has played 41 games in each season, for a total of 82 games played. In those 82 games he has a .917 save percentage. Lack was put in as Vancouver’s backup after Corey Schneider was traded to New Jersey. He spend time backing up both Roberto Luongo and Ryan Miller. Those are great goalies that few in the league can win a starting job over. Lack spent time starting after Luongo was traded and Ryan Miller was injured. After Ryan Miller’s injury last season he won the starting job temporarily until Calgary lit him up in the playoffs.

Jacob Markstrom is a different story. He was the first pick of the 2nd round in the 2008 draft by the Florida Panthers. He made his debut back in 2010, but has only played 50 games in his career. That being said he is two years younger than Eddie Lack at age 25. Markstrom was traded to the Canucks as part of the Roberto Luongo trade. Last season with the Utica Comets of the AHL, Markstrom had an insanely good .934 save percentage.

Lack and Markstrom would be my top two choices for Sabres trade options in net. When comparing the two, Markstrom is more interesting to me than Lack is. He is younger, and would cost less to acquire. When looking at both goalies ceilings, we have a better idea of what Lack’s is. We’re pretty sure Lack is at least a good starter, but Markstrom could be elite. Both would step in as immediate starters for the Sabres. Even though Markstrom doesn’t have experience as a starter in the NHL, he is more qualified than Chad Johnson or any other Sabre goalie prospect.

The Canucks said they are actively pursuing 2nd and 3rd round picks in this years draft. You can read more about that here. The Sabres have plenty of them. In my opinion Lack would cost a 2nd and something else, while Markstrom would cost just a 2nd. Depending on what that something else is for Lack, Markstrom would be a better value.

Next: Sabres Draft Picks: Top picks from each round

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