McKenzie's trade thoughts on Lack, Markstrom

Bob McKenzie was on TSN 1040 Thursday afternoon.

On if he thinks Jacob Markstrom has any trade value for the Vancouver Canucks, and if he’s heard of Eddie Lack being in play:

“I don’t think so. I’d be surprised if Eddie Lack is not a pronounced favourite over Markstrom in that battle, although I guess that’s why they play the games. You’ve got to prove that here over the next 10 days or what have you. Less than two weeks, anyway.

“I don’t think Markstrom has - as I say, when you’ve got goaltenders possibly coming up on waivers, or if somebody really needed a backup goaltender – as I said, Tomas Vokoun and Marty Brodeur are sitting there. And hey, Ilya Bryzgalov as well, who doesn’t have a contract, even though he’s in Minnesota’s camp. So there seems to me to be a glut of goaltenders.

“But again, Marty’s not a young guy. Vokoun’s had all sorts of health issues. Bryzgalov is Bryz. And then we have to wait and see how Montreal and Vancouver’s situations shake out with goaltenders.”

On a potential three-man goaltending situation for the Canucks:

"Guess what? Nobody likes three goalies. Not the three goalies, not a coach, not a manager, not anybody. 

"Three goalies is a convenient thing to say when you've got one that you might lose on waivers, but all you're really doing is forestalling the inevitable. And that is you've got to make a decision somewhere along the line - you've got two goalies and who are they. 

"And I think what teams - what Vancouver and Montreal want to do - is you want to protect yourself. Let's get through all these exhibition games. Let's make sure that Ryan Miller and Carey Price come out unscathed. No injury issues, everything is good and then we'll make that decision. 

"But I think the whole 'We might start the season with three goalies' - if they do, I don't think it'll be for very long and if Vancouver did it, I'd be kind of surprised. They might need that extra roster spot to make the final determination on Bo Horvat. Or not send one of their veteran guys to keep a kid, but keep the kid around long enough to give him some regular season games and if he's ready, then you can make whatever adjustments you need.

"But it's all about roster manipulation too. So if you're asking me if I really, truly, honestly believe Vancouver will start with three goalies - I'd say there's an outside chance of it while they sort things out. But I think at the end of the day they probably prefer to have a roster spot for someone else and just make your decision. And if you're going to lose Markstrom, you lose him.

"I couldn't honestly tell you for sure he'd be claimed, because there are some teams out there that are looking at it and saying, 'You know what, he hasn't really seized the opportunity like we thought he was going to when he was drafted, but by goaltending standards in ages he's still pretty young."

Source: TSN 1040/ Transcript: Nichols on Hockey