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Ben Kuzma: Markstrom makes Canucks extension case, Baertschi banter, lauding Larionov – The Province

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Canucks unrestricted free agent Jacob Markstrom has done the work. What’s that worth?

Rich Lam / PNG

‘I’ve said all along that (Markstrom) is an important guy for us.’ — Canucks GM Jim Benning.

Two consecutive Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominations look good on any NHL resume, but do they carry weight at the contract table?

For unrestricted free agent Jacob Markstrom, being selected again by the Professional Hockey Writers Association’s Vancouver chapter as the local award nominee is a fitting salute to the Vancouver Canucks’ starting goaltender. He has endured personal pain, a knee injury and continued to grow his game.

A leave of absence to be with his cancer-stricken father, Anders, in Sweden in October and then attending a celebration of life there in December after he had died were gut-wrenching.

Markstrom had to muster the resolve for a remarkable season. It included an 11-2-0 run from mid-December to February followed by setting a career-high and franchise record 49 saves Feb. 12 in a 3-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on jersey retirement night for Henrik and Daniel Sedin.

It’s why the 30-year-old Swede is the club’s most valuable player and a Masterton contender. Since the inception of the award in the 1967-68 season, a Canuck has yet to capture the honour.

So, what does this mean for a Markstrom contract extension?

He’s a UFA priority along with Tyler Toffoli and Chris Tanev, but the Canucks have 10 expiring contracts on their current roster. And next year they have to buck up for Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes.

As for Markstrom, there’s no doubting the player and the person.

“To know behind the scenes of everything he was going through — and coming back from Sweden to play that game against the Rangers (Oct. 20, 3-2 win, 38 saves) — and to just show consistency and a high standard was something,” Canucks general manager Jim Benning said Tuesday.

The GM doesn’t need to see how Markstrom performs in the qualifying round against the Minnesota Wild to better gauge his worth. Markstrom hasn’t been in the post-season since backstopping the AHL-affiliate Utica Comets to the Calder Cup final in 2015.

“We know what’s he’s capable of,” stressed Benning. “It’s the reason when I took the job that we wanted to get him to Utica that year (2015) and develop because we knew there was a high side to his game. It’s been a bit of a journey and we’re seeing what he’s capable of on a nightly basis. 

“I’ve said all along that he’s an important guy for us. My intent is to figure out something that works for him and us. I’m hoping to get him signed, but that’s part of the business — we’ll have to wait and see.”

Markstrom wants to stay in Vancouver. That should be leverage for Benning. 

But if Markstrom’s camp sees salary as much of an issue as term with a flat cap next season, an expiring annual salary cap of US$3.6 million is going to get a boost. He had better numbers this season than fellow UFAs Robin Lehner, (US$5 million cap hit) and Braden Holtby (US$6 million).

There also won’t be a burgeoning free-agent market for cash-strapped teams. Even the term-for-salary exchange seems moot because who would sign long term for less money and then see the league’s hockey-related revenue rebound?



Sven Baertschi (47) skates against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period in a game at Rogers Arena in November.

Bob Frid /

USA TODAY Sports files

BAERTSCHI GOES CAMPING

Sven Baertschi believes he’s an NHL player and has a year left on his contract.

In a perfect world, the left winger would show something at training camp next month as one of 10 projected skater recalls from the Comets to bolster the Canucks’ expanded post-season roster.

And if there are exhibition games, maybe he piques the interest of another club. He’s not old at 27 and isn’t a fiscal strain at a US$3.36 million cap hit.

The Canucks are loaded on the left side and, to his credit, Baertschi sucked up an early demotion and finished with 46 points (13-33) in 43 AHL games. But he needs to play in the top six in the NHL to be effective and a concussion-plagued career is worrisome. In 2019-20, he played just 26 games and managed 14 points (9-5).

The Canucks tried to trade Baertschi from the outset of this season.


ALL HAIL ‘PROFESSOR’

Benning played with Igor Larionov.

He knows what it means for a prized prospect to have one of the game’s true professors in his corner.

It’s why the report of intriguing winger Vasili Podkolzin possibly being captain of the Russian team for the world junior tournament, and under the direction of Larionov as head coach, could be a boon.

Podkolzin, who was selected 10th overall by the Canucks in the 2019 draft, has another year left on his KHL deal. Larionov could help advance his learning curve to eventually transition to the NHL.

“I talked to Igor and he loves the player and the person,” said Benning. “He calls him an old-school player and he likes how he shows up and competes. And Igor is one of the smartest players to ever play the game, so it’s a great opportunity for Vasili.”

bkuzma@postmedia.com

twitter.com/@benkuzma

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Armstrong scores, surging Vancouver Whitecaps beat slumping San Jose Earthquakes 2-0

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VANCOUVER – As the Major League Soccer season ticks down, Vanni Sartini wants his Vancouver Whitecaps to make a declaration — the team is ready to compete.

“The time of hiding ourselves, I think it’s over,” the coach said after the ‘Caps earned a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.

“We need to really say that we are here to try to be at the ball until the end and trying to shoot for the highest position. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to make it, but we have the quality to do it.”

With seven games left on their regular-season schedule, the ‘Caps (13-8-6) sit in fifth spot in the congested Western Conference, just two points out of fourth.

Saturday’s loss officially eliminated the last-place Earthquakes (5-21-2) from post-season action.

Vancouver has been on a hot streak since returning from the Leagues Cup break and is unbeaten (3-0-1) in its last four outings across all competitions. The team has not allowed a goal in those matches.

“It’s the fact that we play really well,” Sartini said of the clean sheets. “We have the ball a lot, we finish our attack most of the time in their box. So it’s really hard for the other team to attack us. And then when they attack us, in the rare times that they arrive in the final third, we’re very solid.”

Recent additions have bolstered the team’s ranks, including the club’s newest designated player, Stuart Armstrong. The 32-year-old Scottish midfielder scored his first MLS goal Saturday.

Three minutes after coming on as a substitute for Alessandro Schopf, Armstrong gave Vancouver a two-goal cushion in the 87th minute.

Midfielder Pedro Vite dished a short pass to ‘Caps captain Ryan Gauld, who tapped it toward Armstrong. The former Southampton FC player then blasted a shot into the top of the net for his first strike in a Whitecaps’ jersey.

He was mobbed by teammates in the corner of the field.

“I think everyone was happy. Also for the first goal, but also that it was an important three points,” said Armstrong, who signed with the ‘Caps on Sept. 3.

“It kind of felt a little bit like last week, when we had a lot of chances and we didn’t get the three points. So today, I think everyone was just relieved to have that two-goal cushion.”

Vancouver was the dominant team from the outset Saturday and did not relent, outshooting the visitors 19-5 and controlling 54.1 per cent of possession.

Fafa Picault also found the back of the net for Vancouver, while Gauld contributed a pair of assists.

Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped both shots he faced to collect his seventh clean sheet of the year, while Daniel made nine saves for the Quakes.

Gauld and Picault teamed up in the 22nd minute when Gauld curled a cross in and the Haitian striker headed it down toward the net, only to see Daniel catch a piece of the shot with his forearm and redirect it out of harm’s way.

The duo connected again in the 35th minute on a Vancouver corner. Gauld swung a ball in and Picault jumped up from the pack to send a glancing header in past Daniel for his ninth MLS goal of the season.

San Jose briefly appeared to level the score in the 68th minute when an unmarked Ousseni Bouda collected the ball, froze Takaoka and tapped a shot into the Vancouver net. An official quickly raised the offside flag and waved off the tally.

Daniel kept San Jose’s deficit to a single goal with a pair of solid stops in the 82nd minute.

First, the Brazilian ‘keeper dove sideways on his line to tip away a bomb from Alessandro Schopf. He was tested again on the ensuing corner and jumped up to send a header from Picault over the crossbar.

“I think we created a lot of chances again,” Gauld said.

“We probably should have put the game out of their reach sooner. But we’d be more worried if we weren’t creating the chances. Three clean sheets in a row in the league, I think it’s a big thing for us. And it gives us a good platform to go forward.”

NOTES

Vancouver played without leading scorer Brian White for a third consecutive game as the American striker works his way back from a concussion. … Gauld’s second assist marked his 15th goal contribution (six goals, nine assists) in his last 15 Whitecaps games across all competitions. … An announced crowd of 21,309 took in the game at B.C. Place.

UP NEXT

The Whitecaps kick off a two-game road swing Wednesday against the Houston Dynamo. The Earthquakes host the Seattle Sounders the same night.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 14, 2024.

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Liverpool ‘not good enough’ says Arne Slot after shock loss against Nottingham Forest

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MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Not good enough. That was Arne Slot’s verdict after his first defeat as Liverpool manager on Saturday.

A shock 1-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest in the English Premier League ended Slot’s perfect record since succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Anfield at the end of last season.

“We had a lot of ball possession but only managed to create three (or) four quite good chances, so that is by far not enough if you have so much ball possession,” said the Dutchman, who suggested his team should not be losing to the likes of Forest.

“If you lose a home game it’s always a setback, especially if you face a team … we never know, maybe they will go all the way to fight for Champions League tickets, but normally this team is not ending up in the top 10, so if you lose a game against them that’s a big disappointment.”

Slot won his first three games in charge, including a memorable 3-0 victory against Manchester United before the international break.

But that run came to an end after Callum Hudson-Odoi struck in the 72nd with a curling effort from the edge of the box and beyond goalkeeper Alisson.

Liverpool’s defeat leaves Manchester City as the only team with a 100% record in the league after a 2-1 win against Brentford kept the defending champion at the top of the table.

United won at Southampton 3-0 to end its two-game losing streak.

Unstoppable Haaland

Erling Haaland moved to 99 goals for City after scoring twice against Brentford.

The Norwegian’s double came after Yoane Wissa fired Brentford ahead with just 22 seconds on the clock.

Haaland scored his 98th and 99th goals in his 103rd City appearance in all competitions. And he was the width of the post away from his third consecutive hat trick after trebles against Ipswich and West Ham.

“He’s been really, really good. Yeah, I would say he’s the best (he’s been), but it’s only four fixtures (this season),” City manager Pep Guardiola said.

Haaland, who has been nominated for the Ballon d’Or, has nine goals in four league games. He has topped the league scoring charts in each of his two seasons at City since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2022 for $63 million.

Haaland’s first goal after 19 minutes evened the game following Wissa’s opener, which stunned the Etihad Stadium crowd. Haaland turned and swept a shot past goalkeeper Mark Flekken after a slight deflection off Ethan Pinnock.

He was then too strong for Pinnock when shaking off the defender and running through for his second in the 32nd.

He was inches away in the 81st; the shot came back off the post after beating the keeper.

Rashford snaps run

Marcus Rashford snapped a 12-game barren run in front of goal as United beat Southampton.

Rashford doubled United’s lead at Saint Mary’s after Matthijs de Ligt’s scored his first for the club. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho scored a third in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

The win came after back-to-back defeats for United.

Rashford hadn’t scored since March in United’s win over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarterfinals. He curled in a shot from the edge of the area to put Erik ten Hag’s team 2-0 up at Southampton in the 41st minute.

Ten Hag said it could be a turning point for the forward.

“For every striker, they want to be on the scoring list. Once the first is in, more is coming. Like a ketchup bottle, once it’s going, it’s coming more,” he said.

De Ligt, who joined United from Bayern Munich in the offseason, headed in from Bruno Fernandes’ cross in the 35th.

It could have been a different story if Cameron Archer converted a penalty for Southampton in the 33rd. Instead, his effort was saved by goalkeeper Andre Onana.

Newly promoted Southampton was reduced to 10 men when Jack Stephens was sent off in the 79th for a high challenge on Garnacho.

Villa comeback

After three straight defeats to start the league, Everton looked set for its first win when leading Aston Villa 2-0.

Goals from Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin put Sean Dyche’s team in control until Ollie Watkins struck twice to even the game.

Jhon Duran completed Villa’s comeback and sealed a 3-2 win in the 76th to leave Everton rooted to the bottom of the table and the only top flight team without a point.

Late drama

Jean-Philippe Mateta converted a stoppage time penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for Crystal Palace against Leicester.

Leicester led 2-0 at Selhurst Park after goals from Jamie Vardy and Stephy Mavididi.

But Mateta sparked Palace’s response with a goal in the 47th, a minute after Mavididi doubled Leicester’s advantage.

Conor Coady fouled Ismaili Sarr in the box right near fulltime and Mateta was cool enough to convert.

West Ham left it even later to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw at Fulham.

Danny Ings struck in the fifth minute of added time after Raul Jimenez’s goal looked like earning Fulham the win.

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, the manager of the month for August, was frustrated as his team was held to 0-0 at home by Ipswich.

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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Cavaliers and free agent forward Isaac Okoro agree to 3-year, $38 million deal, AP source says

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CLEVELAND (AP) — Restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro has agreed to re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Okoro’s new deal is worth $38 million, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been signed or announced by the team.

ESPN.com first reported the agreement, citing Okoro’s representation.

The fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, Okoro is Cleveland’s best perimeter defender, often drawing the assignment of guarding the opponent’s top scorer. Okoro also has worked to improve his offensive game.

The 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 69 games — 42 starts — last season for the Cavs, who beat Orlando in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to eventual champion Boston.

Okoro shot a career-best 39% on 3-pointers, forcing teams to come out and guard him.

His agreement caps an extraordinarily busy summer for the Cavs that began with coach J.B. Bickerstaff being fired and replaced by Kenny Atkinson. All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell signed a three-year, $150 million extension in July, ending months of speculation that he wanted out of Cleveland.

Also, power forward Evan Mobley signed a five-year, $224 deal and center Jarrett Allen signed a three-year, $91 million extension.

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