Canucks Cautious About Using LTIR: Jim Rutherford’s Perspective…
As the Vancouver Canucks prepare for the 2024-25 NHL season, the team is taking a careful approach to roster decisions, particularly concerning their goaltenders.
Jim Rutherford, the Canucks’ president of hockey operations, is usually reserved when discussing injuries. However, with lingering uncertainties around the health of the Canucks’ primary goalies, Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs, Rutherford is offering some insight.
Rutherford mentioned that the team would wait until Demko and Silovs undergo their training camp physicals before making any decisions. Demko, who suffered a knee injury during the first game of last season’s Stanley Cup playoffs, has had a slow recovery. Meanwhile, Silovs is dealing with knee ligament inflammation, which caused him to miss a recent Olympic qualifying tournament for Latvia.
Despite downplaying the situation, the Canucks have discreetly explored potential backup options, reaching out to free-agent goalies Kevin Lankinen and Antti Raanta. The team hopes to bring one of them in on a professional tryout (PTO) to provide some cover during the pre-season, though Lankinen is reportedly seeking a full contract.
Rutherford, maintaining a light-hearted tone, joked about his own potential as a PTO candidate, referencing his past experience as an NHL goalie, though he humorously noted he hasn’t had a physical yet.
Beyond the immediate concerns about their goalies, the Canucks’ front office is constantly evaluating other roster options. However, a key focus is managing their salary cap situation. Rutherford emphasized that the team aims to avoid placing a player on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to begin the season.
This strategy is noteworthy, as the Canucks were hampered by cap issues last season, with much of Tucker Poolman’s contract on LTIR. Currently, the team is under the salary cap, even with Poolman on conventional injured reserve. If they can stay under the cap, they could accumulate savings that would allow them to add a veteran player at the trade deadline, potentially bolstering another playoff push.
Questions remain about the status of the Canucks’ goaltenders. While Demko is reportedly back on the ice, there are concerns that his rehabilitation has been slower than anticipated, which may affect his readiness for training camp. Silovs, who was sidelined by the Latvian team due to knee inflammation, is expected to be ready for the season, though only time will tell if these issues will persist.
