Soccer

Back in June, the Vancouver Whitecaps paid a hefty price to acquire Brian White, but he is proving to be a steal of a deal.

White scored his 12th goal of the season and a played a prominent role in another one as the Whitecaps doubled Minnesota FC 2-1 on Wednesday night to move into a playoff sport in Major League Soccer's tight Western Conference.

Th(e Caps (12-9-1) overtook three teams while moving above the playoff bar and into fifth place with two regular-season games remaining against teams with whom they are contending.

Playoff fate in own hands

“You don’t want to leave anything up to anybody else to depend on,” said the 25-year-old White. “To have our fate in our own hands is great.”

The Whitecaps were not close to being in control of their own destiny when White arrived via trade from the New York Red Bulls. The Caps were in the midst of a five-game losing streak and using Sandy, Utah as their home base due to the pandemic-induced Canadian border closure. 

CEO and ex-coach prophetic

Vancouver sent the Red Bulls $400,000 in targeted allocation money, and the Red Bulls could receive another $100,000 in conditional general allocation money. Whitecaps sporting director and CEO Axel Schuster's comments at the time are proving to be prophetic.

“(White) is a player with good finishing qualities, as he has proven over the past two MLS seasons,” said Schuster in a news release.

Former Vancouver coach Marc Dos Santos was even more bang-on.

“(White) will be an important option for the team," Dos Santos said in the same news release. "He’s comfortable playing alone or with another forward. It is a good opportunity for us and for him."

White has been especially good in tandem with midfielder Ryan Gauld. The dynamic duo has factored into most of Vancouver's goals since the losing skid ended.

White and Gauld were at it again Wednesday as they combined on what proved to be the winning goal. Culminating a three-way passing play, Gauld set up White as the striker gave the Caps a 2-0 lead in the 64th minute. Forward Cristian Dajome drew the second assist as he started the play from the left edge of the Minnesota box.

The goal looked like it would be an insurance marker, but Fanendo Adi tallied for Minnesota in added time.

Moments before half-time, White essentially earned Vancouver's opening tally, an own-goal by Minnesota defender Michael Boxall, a former Whitecap. Midfielder Russell Teibert lofted a long lead pass from  Vancouver  territory and White chested the ball down. But he miskicked on his attempt to lob the ball over Minnesota goalkeeper Tyler Miller. The goalkeeper then inadvertently swatted the ball into Boxall and it bounded off him into the net.

Minnesota (12-11-9) will likely have a hard time qualifying for the post-season after dropping out of playoff contention, making Vancouver's task a bit easier. But the Caps have become adept at helping themselves.

The Whitecaps improved to 7-1-0 at B.C. Place Stadium since relocating from Utah in August. The Caps are 10-2-8 in their past 20 games overall.

Striker revising his fortunes

While the Caps have turned their season around, the New Jersey native has also reversed his own slow start. He was saddled on the bench for much of his time with the Red Bulls, starting just three of five games and registering only one assist after earning the club's offensive player of the year award last season and producing 16 goals and four assists over the past two campaigns.

“It’s great to contribute to the team and help win games,” said White. “Hopefully I can continue to score goals and we can continue to win games.”

The Whitecaps will play a road game against Los Angeles FC on Tuesday and then conclude the regular-season at home on Nov. 7.

Soccer

Whitecaps' unbeaten streak comes to an end

A different coach might have ripped his team.

But Vanni Sartini didn't.

The Vancouver Whitecaps interim coach was far from furious after Friday's 1-0 Major League Soccer loss to the Portland Timbers at B.C. Place Stadium. 

An own-goal off Vancouver defender Ranko Veselinovic in the 66th minute gave the Timbers (10-10-3) the win, ending the Whitecaps' unbeaten streak at 10 games and snapping their pure win streak at five games. The loss prevented the Whitecaps (7-7-8) from moving above the Western Conference playoff bar.

"If we play like this, if we keep working like this, I guarantee that we are gonna be above the line at the end of the day," said Sartini. "If we are going to lose games, it's good to lose games like this, when we don't deserve (to) and we outplay the opponent. So we don't have to get frustrated. In soccer, sometimes you can't control the outcome, but you can control the process, and the process is going well."

A sometimes physical affair

The game had a more subdued atmosphere than previous Caps-Timbers contests, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has resulted in smaller crowds at reopened Canadian sports facilities. But it still had its emotional and physical moments.

"It was a really tough game and we knew that they are an experienced team," Sartini said. "We knew that it was going to be a battle and we fought. We fought well. It was entertaining for the people, too. Unfortunately, we didn't score at the end. But the push that we did at the end, I would say, showed that the team alone is in a good moment technically and tactically but also physically."

It looked like the Whitecaps would force a tie in the late going, but Portland defender Claudio Bravo stopped Deiber Caicedo's booming shot on the goal line.

Gauld held in check

The Timbers managed to hold Vancouver attacking midfielder Ryan Gauld in check, although he still figured prominently in scoring chances and with adept corner-kicks that have made the Whitecaps a much greater threat on set pieces than they used to be. Sartini acknowledged that the Timbers kept a close eye on Gauld, who has emerged as an offensive hero in recent games since joining the team in August.

"For sure. Now, the teams are gonna see us and, probably, they're gonna think about giving a special treatment to Ryan. He didn't flourish like in the previous game. But he was in most of our chances. In the first half, he won the ball that we almost had the goal wide open. I think he was maybe a little tired like all the team. But I think the performance is at least sufficient and I'm happy with his performance."

Sartini also had good reason to be happy with goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who was solid and provided one of his more stellar moments with a diving save off Sebastian Blanco in the 64th minute before the Timbers tallied a couple of minutes later.

Like his coach, Crepeau was philosophical and predicted a post-season berth.

"In the last few games, we (have been) harder to beat than in the past," he said. 

The Caps were, indeed, difficult to beat Friday against a talented Portland squad that posted its third straight win, thanks largely to some timely saves from goalkeeper Steve Clarke. 

"It was a tough game for us," said forward Cristian Dajome through an interpreter. "We had our chances, but we really couldn't finish tonight."

But Dajome also wants the Caps to reduce their back-line errors.

"We have to go back to the intensity we have been showing in previous games."

New Whitecaps coach Sartini ecstatic over first win

Vanni Sartini got emotional Sunday night.

So did Vancouver Whitecaps players – but in a good way.

Sartini, the club’s new interim coach, guided the Whitecaps to a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer action at B.C. Place Stadium. The game was as lopsided as the score indicated, with RSL only managing to score off a couple of timely bounces in the game’s final minute.

"It couldn't go better,” said Sartini. “I'm very happy right now. I'm like a little kid when he's happy. I want everybody to know that I'm happy."(

With the win, the Caps extended their MLS unbeaten streak to a record nine games, surpassing the mark set in 2014, and moved closer to playoff contention.

"I was everything on the scale,” said Sartini of his emotions. “I was excited, scared preoccupied, inspired. I was every adjective and now I'm just happy."(

Caps extend unbeaten streak

Sartini made his head coaching debut, moving from his post as the Whitecaps Academy’s director of methodology, after the club unceremoniously fired Marc Dos Santos on Friday. The dismissal came a day after a humiliating 4-3 loss to lower-tier Pacific FC in Canadian championship preliminary round play in Victoria.

The Whitecaps (6-7-8) delivered a much more inspired effort Sunday than they did in the B.C. capital.

"I think it's kind of simple to say, but the win cures everything,” said Sartini. “When you win, everything looks in a better perspective, and the guys were also happy and they should be happy -- and proud of their performance."

RSL also sported an interim coach, former assistant Pablo Mastroeni, who was promoted on Friday after Freddy Juarez unexpectedly bolted to Seattle, , albeit for an assistant’s position, according to reports. Juarez made the unusual decision with his club above the playoff bar because of his uncertain contract status with RSL next season and the team’s anticipated sale by the end of 2021, The Athletic and other media outlets reported.

The temporary Whitecaps and RSL coaches acknowledged their unusual situations in a brief conversation.

“Crazy” situation

"We just said that the world of soccer is crazy, because Thursday we had completely different jobs, the both of us, and then we were there now leading the team. As I said, this situation is kind of unusual, but that's how it works. We need to adapt or die. In Italy, we say, either we swim or we drown. So let's swim. And, let's see how much longer we can swim."

Sartini said he walked between the teams as they were about to walk onto the pitch after half-time because felt trouble brewing.

"There was the start of a confrontation or something. I just wanted to avoid any problem, to walk with our players and their players, because we were up in the score and we didn't want to risk anything -- red cards or having a brawl or something."

Instead, the Whitecaps showed their fight through strong offence and defence.

Designated player Ryan Gauld led the Whitecaps offensively for the second straight home game, scoring a goal and setting up two others, including an RSL own-goal. Brian White and Florian Jungwirth also scored for the Caps.

Anderson Julio tallied for RSL (7-8-6) shortly before the final whistle. RSL suffered its second straight loss and fourth in six games.

Jungwirth said the Whitecaps wanted to respond after letting down Dos Santos and his brother Phil, an assistant coach who was also fired, with a bad effort on Thursday.

Whitecaps “felt the guilt”

“We felt the guilt,” said Jungwirth, who scored his first goal since 2018 while playing for the San Jose Earthquakes. “We came out flying today. There was a lot of anger in us.”

Gauld took the corner kick that led to a Salt Lake own-goal in the 33^rd minute and enabled Vancouver to take a 1-0 lead into half-time. After Brian White gave the Caps a 2-0 lead in 53^rd minute, tapping in a rebound after RSL goalkeeper Andrew Putna mishandled a cross, Gauld scored on a header 10 minutes later.

Jungwirth rewarded Sartini for giving the centre back his first start as a Whitecap since being acquired in a trade from San Jose earlier in the month as he home another Gauld corner-kick.

After scoring, Jungwirth reluctantly did a dance routine with Leonard Owusu and other teammates. Owusu had choreographed the moves in training.

“When he came (following the goal), I was already celebrating,” said Jungwirtth. “I had to laugh. He insisted to do the dance. I hope it didn't look too embarrassing for me, because I know Leo's a far better dancer, I think I still did pretty well."

Jungwirth displayed emotion in a different way in the first half as he shoved RSL’s Noah Powder in the back after he took down Bruno Gaspar hard, earning a yellow card for the infraction.

"That's the way I play,” said Jungwirth. “I leave it all for the team. When I'm on the field, I'm a wild dog. I go in every duel. I don't mind what happens. And when someone attacks my teammates, I'm gonna protect them in every way. … I've never received a red card in my whole career, so I know which buttons I have to push in my opponents to provoke them. That's the way I play. That's the way I've performed for years. It's worked out well for me, and I hope the fans and the coaching staff like that."

Sartini had no complaints about Jungwirth or any other Vancouver players. However, RSL interim field boss Mastroeni was less than impressed with his charges.

RSL coach: Wrong mentality

“I feel like we didn’t have the right mentality,” Mastroeni told reporters. “Physically, I think they were first to most balls and picked up all the loose balls. It was a very difficult match.”

RSL’s only goal resulted after a shot bounced off a Whitecaps defender, hit the crossbar and came right to Julio. Before then, RSL’s best chance came late in the first half. Justin Meram booted Powder’s rebound on a hard shot from distance over an open net.

While the Whitecaps hoped to build on the win, RSL players wanted to forget their loss. Salt Lake captain Albert Rusnak said his club’s effort “went wrong pretty much everywhere.”

“This is one of those games you don't take anything from into the next game,” said Rusnak.

 

Whitecaps come home to spirited win

The Vancouver Whitecaps got the homecoming they wanted Saturday night.

And, Ryan Gauld got the home debut he sought.

In their first real home game since March 2020, the Whitecaps posted a 2-1 comeback win over Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer action at B.C. Place Stadium.

“The win was important to get (the fans) back,” said coach Marc Dos Santos, whose team played its first real home game in 539 days.

Gauld, a recently acquired 25-year-old Scottish midfielder who came on , delighted a small but raucous crowd as he headed in the winning goal in the 89th minute off a a Ryan Raposo cross.

Gauld enjoys "pretty good" debut

"As debuts go, it was pretty good," understated Gauld, who is Vancouver’s designated player.

Gauld also thought he scored his team’s first goal in the 60th minute as he pounded in a rebound after the ball bounced off the crossbar. But officials determined that Brian White’s attempt in a scramble seconds earlier actually crossed the goal line.

The Caps (5-7-8) were forced to play their previous home games in Sandy, Utah due to Canada’s border closure due to COVID-19, and they drew a tough opponent in LAFC (6-9-6). The hosts trailed 1-0 on Diego Rossi’s penalty-kick in first-half stoppage time after a video review showed that Vancouver defender LAFC striker Brian Rodriguez just inside the Whitecaps area.

The deficit came despite the fact that Vancouver earned seven corner kicks in the first half but still allowed LAFC more shots on target and a decisive edge in ball-possession time.

“The first half wasn’t good,” said Dos Santos. “We’re aware of that. But in the second half, we responded quick.”

The Caps got a bit lucky when LAFC’s Diego Rossi hit the post after Vancouver goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau stopped Brian Rodriguez about five minutes before Gauld emerged as the homecoming hero. Had LAFC scored, it might have spoiled what Dos Santos called a “fairy tale moment” for Gauld.

But the Caps’ return to B.C. Place was a major story in itself – with plenty of atmosphere, starting from singer Marie Hui’s booming renditions of both the American and Canadian national anthems.

Raposo had "goosebumps"

"Coming out for warmups, I had goosebumps right away,” said Raposo, who played his first game before fans in Vancouver after joining the team last season shortly before COVID hit. “We had kind of gotten used to playing away.”

After the win, the 1960s song Stand By Me was played over the stadium speakers, and fans sang heartily along after the Caps who tied a club-record eight-game unbeaten streak with the win. The unbeaten streak comes after they suffered five straight losses early in the season.

By airing the song, the club was trying to send an obvious message to the faithful as it attempts to improve on the field and recover from the pandemic’s financial impact.

“It (was) definitely nice to sing along with them after the game – for sure,” said Raposo. “Good vibes.”

And, the Whitecaps hope those good vibes continue as more home games and a potential playoff spot loom.

Does Markstrom want to endure another rebuild?

It's time for the Vancouver Canucks to gamble on goaltending -- and Jacob Markstrom might be wise to wager on his future.

By waiting a season to cash in on unrestricted free agency.

Canucks general manager Jim Benning would be unwise to re-sign Markstrom, 30, to a lucrative long-term contract given Vancouver's current and upcoming salary-cap pressures, the growth of Thatcher Demko's game and prospect Michael DiPietro's anticipated rise to the NHL in the near future. Also, after next season, Benning will have to find enough money for new long-term deals for budding superstars Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, who will likely both command upwards of $10 million per season, and give raises to Demko and other core players. Depending on its term and value, Markstrom's next contract could become an albatross if he struggles with the pressure of living up to a large pay hike, fails to build on his current level, or is displaced as a starter.

But with roughly $14.3 million in available cap space for 2020-21, Benning has more to worry about now than later. As of today, if Markstrom and winger Tyler Toffoli re-sign, most of those cap dollars will go to them, because they both stand to earn $5 million to $7 million per season.

Benning can gamble on goaltending by anointing Demko as the 1A starter and acquiring a talented 1B -- or a veteran traditional backup -- and letting Markstrom leave now. Another option: Benning could sign Markstrom to a one-year deal in the $5-million range and find cap room by other means.

Goalies galore

Those ideas might sound unrealistic. First of all, Markstrom, a UFA for the first time in his career, would have to accept a one-year deal, possibly for less money than he could get elsewhere next season. But either scenario is plausible when one looks at the NHL's goaltending landscape -- and considers the case of Robin Lehner. 

Benning will have no shortage of goaltending options to choose from. More than 30 goaltenders are slated to become unrestricted free agents on October 9. Two other netminders with Stanley Cups to their credit -- Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray -- will also be available via trade. 

Waiting worked for Lehner

Fleury became expendable after Vegas signed Lehner to a five-year, $25-million contract extension, and Murray was effectively shown the door after the Penguins gave Tristan Jarry a new three-year contract worth $3.5 million per season. The Canucks are unlikely to pay the $7.5 million due to Fleury in the final year of his contract, but the point is that he is available, and Benning could be interested if the Golden Knights retain some of his salary.

Another talented netminder, Toronto's Frederik Andersen, should also be available via trade, if recent reports are any indication. Either of Arizona's Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta, who both pose cap hits of more than $4 million, will also be up for grabs as the Coyotes shed costs.

What does this goaltender glut mean for Markstrom?

He might be wise to wait a season before trying to cash in on free agency. Lehner did just that and reaped large rewards. He chose to sign a one-year, $5-million deal with Chicago in 2020-21 and -- after being traded to Vegas at the deadline and shining in the playoffs -- parlayed his decision into a long-term contract with a seemingly perennial Stanley Cup contender.

If Markstrom stays with the Canucks for one more season, his services could be in greater demand because there will be fewer free-agent goaltenders available in 2021-22, improving his hopes of signing a richer deal when teams have a better sense of the post-pandemic future. He might also be able to enjoy more playoff success after competing in the post-season for the first time in his NHL career in 2019-20.

If he signs a long-term deal for megabucks now, Markstrom will likely postpone -- or, possibly, eliminate  -- his chances of winning a Stanley Cup. Realistically, rebuilding teams like Detroit, Buffalo and New Jersey, are most likely to give him the money and term that he covets now. But they will probably not contend for another few seasons.

Markstrom has already gone through a lengthy rebuild with the now surging Canucks. Does he really want to go through another one? As anyone who has spent a little time around him knows, he views takes every loss extremely hard.

But, ultimately, he may have to decide whether money and term mean more than the Stanley Cup.

Solution might already be on roster

Benning's goaltending solution might already be on Vancouver's roster.

Louis Domingue, the team's No. 3 netminder, represents an affordable alternative to Markstrom -- if the GM is willing to gamble in a different way.

Last season was largely a write-off for Domingue, who joined the Canucks at the February trade deadline from New Jersey due to Markstrom's knee injury. Starting the season with Tampa Bay, Domingue was a member of three NHL organizations and also toiled in the minors. He saw action in just one regular-season game with Vancouver and served as the backup in the playoffs after Markstrom was sidelined with an undisclosed injury.

But Domingue is just one season removed from a 21-5-0 record with a Lightning squad that played much looser than the Stanley Cup edition.  A new one-year deal for Domingue could give Benning more salary-cap leeway elsewhere. If a Demko-Domingue tandem does not work out, the GM could then dip into the free-agent pool -- because some affordable goaltenders will still be available -- or find a short-term fix via trade.

Domingue, also set to become a UFA for the first time in his career, might not like the idea of signing a one-year deal with a club that has exceptional goaltending talent in the pipeline. But, with so many UFAs available, he is not likely to get much more than that anywhere else. 

A strong 2020-21 campaign could lead to a better contract in 2021-22. By giving him a two-year deal, Benning could solve the issue of which goaltender to expose to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft.

Plenty of other options

If Benning chooses to let both Markstrom and Domingue skate away, he can pick from a number of other options near the top of the free-agent pool.

Anton Khudobin is an obvious candidate after backstopping Dallas to the Stanley Cup final, but he will likely get a raise from the $2.5 million that the Stars paid him last season, and they appear intent on keeping him anyway. 

More likely targets (2019-20 teams in parenthesis) are: Thomas Greiss (New York Islanders), Mike Smith (Edmonton), Cam Talbot (Calgary) and Aaron Dell (San Jose). They all posted double-digit win totals and earned less than $4 million last season -- in most cases, much less.

Other intriguing -- and affordable -- possibilities include late-30s veterans Craig Anderson (Ottawa), Jimmy Howard (Detroit) and Ryan Miller (Anaheim). But Anderson and Howard posted losing records last season, and former Canuck Miller appears destined to re-sign with the Ducks. 

Henrik Lundqvist, 38, whose contract was bought out recently by the New York Rangers, is another older star who could also get some consideration from the Canucks. But he is reportedly being wooed by the Washington Capitals.

If Markstrom rushes into signing a new long-term deal elsewhere, he might regret the decision for many more years afterward.

Canucks should deal Markstrom before it's too late

The Vancouver Canucks need to trade Jacob Markstrom.

Sooner rather than later.

That seems like a crazy idea – given that Markstrom is the NHL club’s starting goaltender – but it makes sense in both the short and long terms.

Why? Let us count the reasons.

1.      Markstrom is not the team’s goaltender of the future.

Current backup Thatcher Demko, 22, fits that role for now, and rookie Michael DiPietro, 20, is also a strong candidate. NHL goaltenders typically take longer to develop than skaters, and Demko is entering his fifth pro season. He is at the point where he needs more playing time as the Canucks prepare to become Stanley Cup contenders in the next two or three years.

Meanwhile, Markstrom, 30, is in the final year of his contract and slated to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. If the Canucks re-sign him, they could delay the development of both Demko and DiPietro.

DiPietro is ticketed to start his career in the minors but, based on an impressive body of work as a junior, he could be an exception to the general rule about goaltenders needing more time to develop. DiPietro has won a Memorial Cup and an OHL title, backstopped Canada’s 2019 world junior team to a silver medal – following a 2-1 overtime loss to Finland in the gold-medal game – and served as the Canadian senior men’s team third-string goaltender at the worlds. He also appeared in one game for the Canucks on an emergency-recall basis last season. He appears likely to start his full-time pro career in the ECHL –  but may not be there long.

2.      The Canucks can afford to gamble on goaltending.

When it comes to making the playoffs this season, the Canucks will likely be a bubble team – with or without Markstrom as their starter. By platooning Demko and a goaltender acquired from another club, they could ease some salary-cap pressures, still battle for a playoff spot (thanks to their bolstered offensive and defensive ranks) and further the effort to become a Stanley Cup contender.

Last season, two teams – the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes – benefited from platoon systems as they both qualified for the playoffs. The Islanders turned their fortunes around from the previous season as they finished second in the Metropolitan Division after missing the playoffs in 2017-18. The Hurricanes achieved even more as they reached the Eastern Conference finals. Carolina’s platoon system paid off in the post-season as Curtis McElhinney replaced the injured Petr Mrazek and helped the Hurricanes advance.

Now that teams have reduced their rosters for the start of the regular season, several goaltenders will be available in the relatively near future. Tampa Bay sent Louis Domingue to the minors after signing McElhinney as a free agent in the off-season. Domingue, who went 21-5-0 last season and is on an expiring contract, would be an ideal short-term fit for Vancouver. He is one of several other low-cost goaltenders with extensive NHL or minor-league experience who could be obtained for little in return. Others include Darcy Kuemper, who became Arizona’s starter last season following an injury to Antti Raanta and kept the Coyotes in the playoff hunt. But Raanta is healthy and Arizona has claimed Eric Comrie, 24, on waivers from the Winnipeg Jets. With Raanta healthy again and on a long-term contract, Kuemper appears destined to depart at some point this season. Comrie, once a highly touted junior star, spent six years in the Winnipeg organization and fared reasonably well during that time. Like DiPietro, he played some pro games while still of junior age, albeit in the minors, and could now be ready for permanent NHL employment. Comrie could also become available again, because he would have to clear waivers if the Coyotes want to send him down and keep Kuemper.

3.      Markstrom’s numbers make him expendable.

In Markstrom’s case, the off-ice numbers – in a contract – are probably more detrimental than his on-ice stats. By moving him and his current $3.6-million salary elsewhere, Vancouver can ease salary-cap pressures that have been exacerbated by the $3-million recapture penalty resulting from former Canuck Roberto Luongo’s retirement. The Canucks have limited cap space, even after shipping veteran winger Sven Baertschi to the minors, and could face more pressure – and another likely player move – when winger Antoine Roussel returns from a knee injury suffered last season. 

Markstrom’s on-ice numbers – in the form of wins, losses and save percentage, among other stats – do not justify keeping him, either. He was perceived as having a breakout season in 2018-19 while posting a .921 save percentage in his final 40 games. Goaltending coach Ian Clark has stated that Markstrom crossed a proverbial bridge to become a better puck stopper after improving on the .897 save percentage posted in his first 20 contests.

Markstrom ranked highly in 2018-19 advanced goaltender analytics, and some observers have argued that he stopped tougher shots than he did in 2017-18. But his 23 wins were three fewer than the career-best 26 that he posted a season earlier.  Also, his overall .912 save percentage in 2018-19 matched the figure that he recorded in 2017-18, and his goals-against average increased slightly to 2.77 in 2018-19 from 2.71 in the previous season. The latter stats are not considered overly reliable by goaltending experts, who believe they are influenced by a team’s overall quality. The same goes for wins. 

But general managers do look at those figures when deciding whether to re-sign a goalie. Markstrom has never posted a winning record in the NHL with either the Canucks or his previous team, the Florida Panthers – and he has only three career shutouts. Granted, he played on some bad teams in both places; however, he rarely, if ever, stole wins. He has become good at keeping his team in tight games, something every club expects its top goaltender to do, but he has yet to demonstrate that he is an elite talent.

And, the Canucks will need an elite netminder before they can return to the Stanley Cup finals.

4.      No matter how well he plays, Markstrom is likely to receive less playing time this season.

In each of the past two seasons, Markstrom appeared in 60 games, but he is likely to get fewer starts in 2019-21 as the Canucks ramp up Demko’s development. If Demko wins the starting role, a reasonable possibility if he excels early, Markstrom could become a high-priced backup as general manager Jim Benning grapples with minimal cap space. The biggest risk with Demko is his lack of NHL action. He has only nine career games under his skates, but his successes in college and the minors suggest that he can shine in the world’s top league.

Coach Travis Green could opt to platoon Markstrom and Demko, but that scenario would not resolve salary-cap issues – and may not significantly affect Vancouver’s playoff hopes. A better solution would be to platoon Demko with a low-cost goaltender acquired from another team.

5.      Both the Canucks organization and Markstrom will be better off if he moves on.

Many NHL starting goaltenders earn more than Markstrom does now. Based on his starter status and experience, he will likely want a significant raise – i.e. upwards of $5 million to $6 million per season. Undoubtedly, he will also want some security in the form of a long-term deal and a no-trade or limited no-movement clause.

But the Canucks are unlikely to grant any of those requests due to his age and track record, the team’s goaltending depth and the salary cap crunch. Even if Markstrom receives a costly contract spanning just three years, that would cause more headaches for Benning when it comes time to re-sign the likes of Demko, who is in the first year of a two-year extension, and young stars Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Quinn Hughes, among others. If Markstrom signs for more than three years, his contract could become an albatross and prevent Benning from acquiring key additions when the Canucks, theoretically, are in Cup contention. Undoubtedly, Benning will try to prevent Markstrom’s contract from burdening the team the way Loui Eriksson’s six-year $36-million deal has. Furthermore, the Canucks need to get something in return for their top goaltender after investing in his development for the past five-plus seasons. Markstrom is the only piece left from the Luongo trade, and the club needs to salvage some form of a return from that horrendous deal.

The Luongo trade did not happen on Benning’s watch, but it behooves the GM to get a decent return for Markstrom to offset the damage caused by the former Canuck’s move to Florida. In case you have not heard (a million times) by now, the salary-cap-recapture penalty from Luongo’s contract has constrained Vancouver’s cap.

Meanwhile, Markstrom has a chance to earn a better deal by playing elsewhere. His market value will be enhanced if he is traded during the season and shines with another club. If he plays fewer games with the Canucks and is not moved before he becomes a UFA, his market value and the demand for his services will decrease. 

Several veteran goaltenders – including Stanley Cup winners Braden Holtby of Washington, Jimmy Howard of Detroit, Matt Murray of Pittsburgh and Corey Crawford of Chicago – are slated to become UFAs in the summer of 2020. Robin Lehner, who won the William M. Jennings trophy, and was a finalist for the Vezina with the Islanders in 2019-20 and has joined Chicago on a one-year deal, will also be a UFA again if he does not re-sign with the Blackhawks before July 1. Several other younger goalies facing free agency may also be worth acquiring. The expansion draft for the new Seattle team could also factor into Markstrom’s future, because the Canucks will probably only manage to protect one goaltender.

In other words, Markstrom is not guaranteed of receiving the money or term he wants.

Markstrom also wants to win a Stanley Cup before he retires. By signing what may be the final contract of his career with the Canucks, he could hamper his chances of kissing the Cup.

6.      Markstrom’s departure from Vancouver appears inevitable.

For many, if not all, of the above reasons, this will probably be Markstrom’s final season in Vancouver.  Under different circumstances (i.e. a shortage of goaltender prospects and ample cap space), it would make sense to re-sign him. He is a character guy, has displayed some increased skill at times and gives the team confidence on many nights. But the Canucks will be reluctant to re-sign him to anything beyond a two-year deal, and he will likely want to move on. The fact that Benning has not re-signed him yet indicates that negotiations have stalled – or they never started.

Contrary to critics' views, Benning is reasonably smart. He will not let Markstrom go for nothing.

Now, it is just a matter of time before he trades him.

Whitecaps spoil Rooney's rare visit

Wayne Rooney drew a crowd Saturday night, but he did not dazzle it.

The Vancouver Whitecaps held the former English Premier League star in check, blanking Rooney’s D.C. United squad 1-0 before a sellout crowd of 22,120 at B.C. Place Stadium. Rooney, making his first – and probably last – Major League Soccer appearance in Vancouver rarely touched the ball during the run of play.

That was not so much a case of Rooney playing poorly. It was more a case of Vancouver closing the door defensively.

“We were, by far, the better team, created the better chances,” said Rooney who, unlike many visiting stars to B.C. Place this season, made himself available to reporters promptly after the contest. “We were very unlucky not to get anything out of the game.”

The Whitecaps (6-12-9) ended their home losing streak at six games. They registered their first home win since May 25 against FC Dallas.

But D.C. (10-8-9) outshone the hosts in almost every statistical category by a wide margin – except one: Shots on target. Both teams had two and the Whitecaps scored on one of theirs, when Yordy Reyna converted a sublime pass from Russell Teibert in the 18th minute.

Vancouver rookie goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who has been a rainbow during a season full of dark clouds, recorded his fifth shutout of the campaign – an amazing feat number considering that the Caps have just six wins.

“Any clean sheet feels amazing,” said Crepeau. “At that point, it’s three points. After that, it’s keeping a clean sheet. If it’s against Rooney, even better. It’s a great evening.”

With the Whitecaps destined to miss the playoffs and going through a management reorganization, Rooney was the primary drawing card. The crowd cheered the former Manchester United icon during the pre-game introductions and offered a mixture of jeers and cheers when he touched the ball – mostly on free kicks and corner-kicks. He also received a nice – but not overwhelming – round of applause when he subbed off in the 74th minute.

“The stadium is very nice,” he said. “The fans are good, too.”

After exiting the pitch, he castigated the fourth official for a lack of hand-ball calls on the Whitecaps in their 18-yard box and perceived recent poor officiating. Later, while speaking with reporters, he noted he had been criticizing the officiating lately, expressed his belief in his right to do so, and called on Howard Webb, the league’s head of officiating, to come to D.C. and explain how calls were made.

Rooney also expressed concerns about long coach-class air travel to Vancouver.

“The travel doesn’t help, obviously,” he said. “It was a very long trip, two flights. Maybe we should have used one of the charter flights to come here.”

MLS limits the number of flights that teams may take during a season. A loss by an eastern team on the West Coast due to travel fatigue is nothing new. But Rooney refused to use the long travel as an excuse for his lack of output.

“It’s part of the job, unfortunately, so you have to do it,” he said. “But there’s a better way to do it. Unfortunately, we didn’t take that way.”

Travel fatigue was likely not a factor. D.C. outshot the Caps 24-8, held roughly a 65-35 edge in possession percentage and was much accurate than Vancouver with passes and crosses. While Rooney did not exactly shine, he deserved credit just for showing up.

In the past, some eastern-based stars have found reasons not to come to Vancouver, because of the artificial turf at B.C. Place and other factors. But, Rooney, who recently ventured back to the U.K. to announce that he would serve as a player-coach with Derby County starting in January, said he was all-in for the game – charter or no charter.

“There was no reason for me not to come on this trip,” he said.

“(The possibility of Rooney staying home from a long road game) was never an issue,” added D.C. coach Ben Olsen. “We talked about that. That’s what it is. He’s on the team and he’ll come to every game that we play if he’s healthy, and that was the case.”

Whitecaps coach Marc Dos Santos said the club strived to prevent D.C. from getting through balls to Rooney between defenders, who were instructed to be compact in front of the net and allow D.C. to make crosses from the wings.

“What I told the players before the game is: even if many people come to see Rooney, the sum of our parts (has) to be the difference maker,” said Dos Santos. “I think that today in every facet of the game, in everything we did, there was such a commitment from everyone. I’m proud of that, there’s no sign of this team giving up.”

Dos Santos is evaluating players for their commitment to the team’s long-term cause, especially after some humiliating losses at home. It went without saying that the Whitecaps have little to play for the rest of the season. So a win over the legendary Wayne Rooney’s squad added some meaning to a lost season.

However, Teibert contended that the Caps did not do anything special to deter him from scoring.

“Our approach to the game is: We have to stick to what we do defensively,” said Teibert. “We’ve been sound defensively in the past four games. We have to keep building on that. Rooney is a big name, he attracts a lot of attention everywhere he goes, but our game plan was essentially the same.”