Canucks place goalie Spencer Martin on waivers

Netminder has been designated for assignment to Abbotsford if he clears

The Vancouver Canucks have made it clear that Spencer Martin is no longer in the running for the back-up job behind Thatcher Demko. That was likely already apparent when the club acquired Casey DeSmith from Montreal last week. On Thursday, the Canucks placed Martin on waivers for the purpose of re-assigning him to the club's American Hockey League affiliate in Abbotsford.

Today is the first day the National Hockey League waiver window is open ahead of the start of the season. 

Martin will remain on waivers until Friday morning at which time he will either be claimed by another NHL team in need of goaltending help or he will be sent to the minors.

The 28-year-old Oakville, Ontario native served as the back-up to DeSmith in Wednesday's 2-1 overtime preseason loss in Edmonton, but has not seen game action in exhibition play. 

He appeared in 29 games for the Canucks last season and was thrust into the starter's role when Thatcher Demko was hurt last December. Martin went 11-15-1 with a 3.99 GAA and an .871 save percentage in the NHL last season. He finished the year in Abbotsford in a tandem with Arturs Silovs.

Martin is the final year of a two-year/one-way contract that will carry a cap hit of $762,500 although that salary can be buried in the minors.

The Canucks still have five goalies on their training camp roster: Demko, DeSmith, Silovs, Nikita Tolopilo and Zach Sawchenko.