Canucks GM hopes to re-sign Markstrom: 'He's an important guy for us'

Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning remains adamant about getting pending UFA goaltender Jacob Markstrom signed to a contract extension.

"I've said all along that he's an important guy for us," Benning told The Province's Ben Kuzma. "My intent is to figure out something that works for him and us. I'm hoping to get him signed, but that's part of the business - we'll have to wait and see."

Benning previously said he hoped to re-sign Markstrom before the trade deadline in February, but a deal never materialized.

Markstrom posted career highs this season in save percentage (.918) and goals saved above average (11.4) in 43 starts despite facing personal adversity. In October, he took a leave of absence to return to Sweden after his father was diagnosed with cancer, and he left the team again in December after his father died.

"To know behind the scenes of everything he was going through - and coming back from Sweden to play that game against the Rangers (38 saves in a 3-2 win on Oct. 20) - and to just show consistency and a high standard was something," Benning said.

Markstrom said in April that he wants to stay in Vancouver, but getting him re-signed could prove difficult. If the cap ceiling stays at $81.5 million for the 2020-21 campaign, the Canucks will have a projected $17 million to work with, according to CapFriendly. Tyler Toffoli and Chris Tanev are also pending UFAs. More importantly, franchise cornerstones Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes will become RFAs after next season.

The Canucks also have to take the 2021 Seattle expansion draft into consideration. With rules only allowing each team to protect one goalie, Vancouver would risk losing either Markstrom or Thatcher Demko - a highly touted 24-year-old coming off his first full season as the team's backup.

Markstrom, 30, missed the last three weeks of the regular season with a knee injury but has been cleared to return when the NHL resumes play. The Canucks are scheduled to take on the Minnesota Wild in the best-of-five qualifying round.