Canucks GM confident he can get 'fairly high draft pick' for Lack or Markstrom

Jim Benning is counting on a nice return for whichever goalie he decides to trade.

The Vancouver Canucks general manager is in the process of determining who to keep and who to deal, with Eddie Lack and Jacob Markstrom - both of whom fall behind Ryan Miller on the depth chart - in consideration.

Based on the need for quality goaltending around the league, Benning expects to see some substantial offers.

From TSN 1040 Radio in Vancouver on Friday:

Yeah, we’ve had lots of calls. ... They’ve talked about one of our younger goalies - both Eddie Lack and Jacob Markstrom. When we decide what we’re going to do, I think we’ll have options to move one of those guys when we decide we’re going to do it.

I think the demand for the goalies - I’m confident we can get a fairly high draft pick. When we decide which goalie we’re going to keep moving forward, then we’ll act on it and I think we’ll be able to recover a fairly high pick.

Both players remain under contract through to the end of next season, with Lack's cap hit ($1.15 million) coming in slightly under Markstrom's ($1.2 million).

Markstrom is in the midst of a Calder Cup run with the AHL's Utica Comets, posting a .932 save percentage in 21 playoff games. Lack posted an impressive .921 save percentage in 41 regular-season NHL games, but his performance dropped off in four playoff appearances.

In order to cough up a first- or second-round pick, the acquiring team would likely require a healthy measure of assurance in terms of the goalie's ability to succeed at the NHL level, and possibly a contract extension.