Canucks meet with upcoming free agent goaltender. Could he be the next man between the pipes?

[Heretic]

Saw this story this morning - 6'6!

December 21, 2014

According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada, Matt O’Connor is a name that may soon become familiar to fans north of the border. That’s because O’Connor, currently the goal tender for Boston University, is attracting attention from nearly every Canadian team according to Friedman.

It’s not hard to see why, one year before he becomes a free agent, O’Connor is having the best season of his career with a 1.67 goals against average, and a save percentage of .941. Here’s more from Friedman:

“There’s a teammate of [Jack Eichel] by the name of Matt O’Connor. He’s a goaltender, 6-foot-6, he’s going to be 23 in February, he has a 1.67 goals-against average. O’Connor is going to be a free agent after this year. There’s a lot of interest especially by Canadian teams. Toronto met briefly with him earlier today. Craig MacTavish met with him briefly after a game a couple of weeks ago and it’s expected Oilers will meet with him further. O’Connor is going to have a lot of interest, Vancouver and Ottawa also among those teams taking a look.”

With so many teams interested in O’Connor there is no telling where he will be next season, he could even play for a non Canadian team, but we will keep you up to date on the latest on Matt O’Connor.

http://www.canucksfanfeed.com/canucks-meet-upcoming-free-agent-goaltender-next-man-pipes/#

[ABNuck]

Hopefully not another Blaine Lacher...hero in College...Zero in the NHL. He might just be what the Oilers need.

[kylecanuck]

This guy looks massive in the net, and putting up great numbers. If he is willing to sign here it would be pretty huge. Might not make the nhl but makes one of our other goalies expendable for other pieces.

Just see this as a win win with the canucks on our behalf

[CanuckinEdm]

He sees the depth charts (these are guys I could see making the NHL at some point, obviously everyone has some lesser prospects that have a chance.

Vancouver: Miller, Lack, Markstrom (24), Eriksson (24), Demko (18)

Toronto: Bernier, Remier

Calgary: Hiller, Ramo, Mcdonald, and possibly Gillies and Ortio

Ottawa: Anderson, Lehner, Driedger

Montreal: Price, Tokarski, Fucale

Edmonton: ..... Brossoit

So I would say we have about 0% chance to sign a 23 year old prospect unless we make some trades.

[Mackcanuck]

He was invited and came to the Canucks 2014 Development Camp in July at UBC

Maybe this gives us a leg up

[RRypien37]

Why are we wasting our time in a position we have probably the best depth at in the entire league.

Our defensive prospect cupboard is bare...meanwhile we go after our 157th goalie.

Miller

Lack

Markstrom

Eriksson

Cannnata

Demko

O'Connor??

[Smiley2051]

Why are we wasting our time in a position we have probably the best depth at in the entire league.

Our defensive prospect cupboard is bare...meanwhile we go after our 157th goalie.

Miller

Lack

Markstrom

Eriksson

Cannnata

Demko

O'Connor??

Maybe some are leaving soon?...

[Squeak]

Why are we wasting our time in a position we have probably the best depth at in the entire league.

Our defensive prospect cupboard is bare...meanwhile we go after our 157th goalie.

Miller

Lack

Markstrom

Eriksson

Cannnata

Demko

O'Connor??

So that you can trade for other players.

Cannata is likely gone at years end.

One of Lack/Markstrom is likely gone.

[Hoosierdaddy]

Why are we wasting our time in a position we have probably the best depth at in the entire league.

Our defensive prospect cupboard is bare...meanwhile we go after our 157th goalie.

Miller

Lack

Markstrom

Eriksson

Cannnata

Demko

O'Connor??

Im skeptical O'Connor would sign here since I think he'll get bigger $$$ some where else. That said, Miller is gone in a couple of years, Lack most likely trade bait this year, Eriksson will be back to Europe IMO, Cannata may or may not be resigned and Demko is a few years away. We will still need another young goalie in the wings.

[GreyHatnDart]

Why are we wasting our time in a position we have probably the best depth at in the entire league.

Our defensive prospect cupboard is bare...meanwhile we go after our 157th goalie.

Miller

Lack

Markstrom

Eriksson

Cannnata

Demko

O'Connor??

If we were gunning for another starter or NHL ready backup I would agree with you. But having good prospects at any position is never a bad thing. As the previous two posters mentioned, makes room to trade players without necessarily giving up that depth.

[Apple Juice]

Another Boston University goaltender.... We all know how our last one turned out

[D-Money]

He sees the depth charts (these are guys I could see making the NHL at some point, obviously everyone has some lesser prospects that have a chance.

Vancouver: Miller, Lack, Markstrom (24), Eriksson (24), Demko (18)

Toronto: Bernier, Remier

Calgary: Hiller, Ramo, Mcdonald, and possibly Gillies and Ortio

Ottawa: Anderson, Lehner, Driedger

Montreal: Price, Tokarski, Fucale

Edmonton: ..... Brossoit

So I would say we have about 0% chance to sign a 23 year old prospect unless we make some trades.

Ericsson will be going back to Sweden at the end of the year, and one of Lack or Markstrom will likely be traded (probably Markstrom)...leaving us only Cannata as our only depth goalie under contract.

Going forward, Miller is here for two more years, then the reigns will go to someone else. Will Lack (or Markstrom) be ready to carry the team? A solid young 1A goalie in his mid-twenties would balance things nicely. There's no guarantee Demko will be ready at 20/21.

And also, AHL team is proving to be very defensively sound. A good way to boost the stats, so even if things don't work out in Vancouver, he'll be a desirable commodity.

[touchable]

He sees the depth charts (these are guys I could see making the NHL at some point, obviously everyone has some lesser prospects that have a chance.

Vancouver: Miller, Lack, Markstrom (24), Eriksson (24), Demko (18)

Toronto: Bernier, Remier

Calgary: Hiller, Ramo, Mcdonald, and possibly Gillies and Ortio

Ottawa: Anderson, Lehner, Driedger

Montreal: Price, Tokarski, Fucale

Edmonton: ..... Brossoit

So I would say we have about 0% chance to sign a 23 year old prospect unless we make some trades.

So you don't think Scrivens or Fasth have a chance of making the NHL?

Another Boston University goaltender.... We all know how our last one turned out

Cory Schneider went to Boston College, as does Thatcher Demko.

[RRypien37]

So that you can trade for other players.

Cannata is likely gone at years end.

One of Lack/Markstrom is likely gone.

Because goalies are fetching huuugggee returns these days?

[Ossi Vaananen]

Another Boston University goaltender.... We all know how our last one turned out

Schneider was from Boston College and now so is Demko. Problem?

Indifferent about this signing. If he does sign here it's a sign of confidence, for free agent goalies to believe they can develop here. Toronto and Edmonton might need help in this position most, but they have a record of leaving average goalies out to die.

[Mr.53]

He sees the depth charts (these are guys I could see making the NHL at some point, obviously everyone has some lesser prospects that have a chance.

Vancouver: Miller, Lack, Markstrom (24), Eriksson (24), Demko (18)

Toronto: Bernier, Remier

Calgary: Hiller, Ramo, Mcdonald, and possibly Gillies and Ortio

Ottawa: Anderson, Lehner, Driedger

Montreal: Price, Tokarski, Fucale

Edmonton: ..... Brossoit

So I would say we have about 0% chance to sign a 23 year old prospect unless we make some trades.

Exactly what I was thinking. He has no reason to sign here. He'd be behind 3 guys already on the depth chart with an up and coming stud in Demko making a push. I would say if you want O'Connor, then we would have to trade either Lack or Markstrom. Which honestly, depending on the package of course, I wouldn't be opposed to trading Lack, calling up Markstrom to be backup and putting O'Connor in utica. Or the reverse with trading Markstrom. Either way, I think it is a real longshot, but it leaves possibilities for JB.

What a move it would be to flip someone like Lack for a defencma and replace him with O'Connor. It's a pipe dream, but it would be some fantastic gming

[JeremyCuddles]

Trade Marky Mark for a D-man looking for a change of scenery and ink this guy.

[ShakyWalton]

Why are we wasting our time in a position we have probably the best depth at in the entire league.

Our defensive prospect cupboard is bare...meanwhile we go after our 157th goalie.

Miller

Lack

Markstrom

Eriksson

Cannnata

Demko

O'Connor??

This^

[Baggins]

Im skeptical O'Connor would sign here since I think he'll get bigger $$$ some where else. That said, Miller is gone in a couple of years, Lack most likely trade bait this year, Eriksson will be back to Europe IMO, Cannata may or may not be resigned and Demko is a few years away. We will still need another young goalie in the wings.

He'll be subject to the cba limits for an elc. He'll get the same money wherever he signs. Which means he'll likely sign with the team that he has the best chance to make the NHL the fastest.

[Outsiders]

Erikson and Cannata are no where near being a NHL goalie let alone a backup. So get rid of those 2 then your Down to Lack and Markstrom Well lack I would keep and Markstrom I would say bye bye to. and Demko is 7 years away so I think we should get him. 6'6 next Ben Bishop to me