NHL News: Canucks extend Thatcher Demko, and TSN updates their trade bait board

Anthony Scultore |

Mar 31, 2021

The Vancouver Canucks have locked up their future in net by extending Thatcher Demko for five years. At 25 years of age Demko rose to prominence with his performance in the NHL’s Return-To-Play bubble. In 4 appearances last season he posted a staggering 0.64 GAA with a an amazing .985 SV%.

NHL News: Canucks lock up Demko for five years

This season Demko is propelling the Canucks back into the North playoff race after a sluggish start. His numbers get better with each game with a record now of 12-12-1 with an excellent 2.77 GAA and a solid .917 SV%. Vancouver has a lot of work to do to clear cap space this offseason with Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes needing new deals.

With Vancouver signing Demko to a 5 year extension at an AAV of $5M, the #Canucks now have a projected cap hit of $61,851,879 and a roster of 14 (10F/2D/2G) and 1 IR (Ferland) for 2021-22

Pettersson, Hughes and Gaudette are some of the notable RFA's the club also need to resign.
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) March 31, 2021

TSN Updated Trade Bait Board

Frank Seravalli has provided his latest update to TSN Trade Bait Board and has moved Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard to number one. He supplants Mattias Ekholm who drops down to 6th as the Predators have surged into a playoff spot.

Columbus Blue Jackets stalwart defenceman David Savard has climbed into the top spot, knocking Nashville Predators blueliner Mattias Ekholm off his post for the first time this season as the Preds have vaulted into the final playoff spot in the Central Division.
That’s caused Ekholm and Predators pending free agent winger Mikael Granlund to tumble out of the top five. It’s not accurate to say Predators GM David Poile has pulled his players off the market, but it is fair to say he is willing to give his team every opportunity until the April 12 deadline to show itself playoff worthy.
TSN

The top 5 now looks like:

David Savard (CBJ)
Kyle Palmieri (NJ)
Taylor Hall (BUF)
Nick Foligno (CBJ)
Jonathan Bernier (DET)

Two names that were very high on the list when it initially came out have dropped significantly Sam Bennent is now 26 (was 9) and Tony DeAngelo who debuted at 3 continues to be at the bottom of the list. Seravalli just expanded from 25 to 30 and that’s where he sits.