By Canadian Press

‘We want him back’: Canucks trying to re-sign goalie Jacob Markstrom

Sep 8, 2020 | 2:05 PM

VANCOUVER — Canucks general manager Jim Benning says he wants to keep goalie Jacob Markstrom in Vancouver.

Benning told reporters Tuesday that he spoke with the Swedish netminder’s agent on Monday and will work this week to get a deal done that makes both the Canucks and Markstrom happy.

Markstrom, 30, is a pending unrestricted free agent who posted a 23-16-4 record with a .918 save percentage in the regular season before the NHL halted play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was named the team’s MVP for the second year in a row and helped the Canucks reach the Western Conference semifinals, where they lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in seven games.

Speculation about Markstrom’s future in Vancouver grew after he went down with an apparent groin injury midway through the Vegas series.

Backup goalie Thatcher Demko stepped into the crease for the final three games. He stopped all but two of the 130 shots he faced through the post-season, carrying the team to a pair of wins and pushing the series to a seventh game.

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The Canadian Press