NHL Rumors: 4th Team Linked To Canucks' Demko

Rumours are that the Vancouver Canucks' goaltender, Thatcher Demko, wants out of Vancouver. With those rumours swirling, a few teams have been brought up as potential destinations that he can end up. The Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres are all potential landing spots at the trade deadline that have already been mentioned. But the fourth team is the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It has not gone the way the Blue Jackets thought it would when they came into this season. There have been far too many injuries and their backup goalie, Joonas Korpisalo, has mostly outplayed Elvis Merzlikins since he signed a five-year, $5.4 million AAV deal. Korpisalo is making just $1.3 million until the end of the season and if the Blue Jackets hope to bounce back from this season next year, they have to solidify their goaltending.

It will be difficult to move Merzlikins, but the potential for a goalie swap between the Canucks and Blue Jackets is a possibility. Demko has been out of action since earlier in the season but his contract and past work make him a much better option for the Blue Jackets moving forward if they are trying to make the playoffs sooner than later.

Demko has three more years after this one under contract at $5 million AAV. The start of the season was horrible all around for the Canucks and the 27-year-old has a 3-10-2 record with a 3.93 GAA and .883 SV%. He posted a SV% of .915 in each of the prior two seasons. If these teams were to make a goalie swap, the Blue Jackets would still have to give up at least an asset on top of Merzlikins to complete it.