Jacob Markstrom leaves Canucks to attend to a 'family matter'

The Vancouver Canucks will be without Jacob Markstrom this week, Jim Benning announced on Monday.

“Jacob Markstrom has been granted a leave of absence to attend to a family matter and is expected to rejoin the Canucks on the road this weekend,” said Benning. “Respectfully, we will not offer any further comment.”

The Canucks have called up Zane McIntyre from the Utica Comets, who should back up Thatcher Demko for Tuesday’s home game against the Detroit Red Wings and Thursday on the road against the St Louis Blues. Vancouver also has back-to-back road games on the weekend, against the Devils Saturday and the Rangers Sunday, before rounding out their four-game trip Tuesday, October 22 in Detroit.

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Markstrom has played all four games to start this season, posting a 2-2 record and an impressive .926 save percentage. He hasn’t been available for the media to speak to after the past two games according to TSN 1040’s Jeff Paterson, though Travis Green said Markstrom was “100% healthy” after Saturday’s win.

McIntyre, 27, is a newcomer to the Canucks organization. The July 1 free agent signing has just eight games of NHL experience, spending the past four seasons in the AHL in the Boston Bruins’ organization.