Eddie Lack #31 of the Vancouver Canucks looks up at the scoreboard to watch the replay after letting in a goal against the Calgary Flames. Photograph by: Derek Leung , Getty Images

VANCOUVER — Just 2½ weeks after a playoff elimination that saw him lose his interim starting job for the Vancouver Canucks, Eddie Lack is seeing goaltending in a new way. Literally, he’s seeing differently.

The 27-year-old netminder, working on his own time and money for the third straight week since his National Hockey League season ended and most childless teammates scattered on holiday, booked two sheets of Richmond Olympic Oval ice on Tuesday for he and goaltending tutor Alex Auld.

They are working on adopting “head trajectory” puck-tracking techniques that are at the cutting edge of the sports science that drives the evolution of goaltending. In short, Lack is trying to see the puck better. But no matter how intently he tries, he can’t see with certainty for whom he will utilize this new technique next season.

Canucks general manager Jim Benning said Tuesday the team will make a decision on its goaltending before the entry draft in June and if Lack isn’t part of the long-term plan, the club will try to trade him rather than risk losing him as an unrestricted free agent after next season.

“We’ve had preliminary talks with Eddie’s agent and we know what it’s going to take to get him signed,” Benning said. “We’re bringing in all our pro scouts and we’ll meet here in the next couple of weeks … and as a group make that decision.”

Benning signed veteran free agent Ryan Miller to a three-year, $18-million US contract last summer to be the Canucks’ starter. Although Miller suffered a serious knee injury in February and Lack excelled as a regular-season replacement, Miller reclaimed the net for the final two games of the Canucks’ first-round playoff loss to the Calgary Flames.

Asked if Lack, having played 41 NHL games each of the last two seasons, is too good to risk losing to free agency if the Canucks don’t re-sign him, Benning said: “I think you’re right with that.”

“I kind of feel like I’m almost coming up to that age where I’m really ready to compete, you know?” Lack told The Vancouver Sun. “To be honest, I don’t really care if it would have been me and Marky (minor-league goalie Jacob Markstrom) like it was before or me and Ryan; I come to the rink every day to do my best. I’m always going to hope and expect to play.

“I have one year left on my contract and I love the city and love the fans. Obviously, there’s a business side and if they want to get rid of me, I can’t really say anything. But I want to spend more time here.”

Since Miller turns 35 in July and there was no downgrade when the Canucks turned to Lack, whose .921 save rate was better than Miller’s .911, it’s difficult to imagine Benning trading the backup. Re-signing Lack for something approaching starting-goalie money would lead to speculation about Miller and his status as the No. 1, but the Canucks are better with Lack than without him.

For all his impressive minor-league work, Jacob Markstrom, 25, has a career NHL save rate of .896 in 50 games over parts of five seasons in Vancouver and Florida.

Somebody is going to get an even better Eddie Lack next season. His performance trajectory still tilts upwards and Lack’s talent and fierce commitment to keep improving won’t allow it to flatten after only two NHL seasons. Last summer, the goalie paid his personal trainer to live with him at his cabin in Sweden so Lack could improve his fitness and conditioning.

Puck-tracking is another skill Lack wants to develop.

“Head trajectory” helped transform Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk from an NHL journeyman into a Vezina Trophy finalist this season. Anaheim Ducks goalie Frederik Anderson is another disciple of the technique, which has goalies maintaining a low chin and rigid head position while tracking pucks.

“The simplest way to put it is if your balance is off and your head’s moving in the wrong way, your body is basically programmed to go into survival mode and say: ‘don’t fall and hit your head,’” Auld, the former NHL goalie, explained. “If you’re moving your head the right way, then you’re more able to be aggressive and assertive and proactive with your body.

“The goalies that are really following this stuff move so much better. It’s pretty cool to see. There’s a lot of research that … the way the head moves has an effect on how well you move.”

For a basic grounding in the technique, Lack flew head-trajectory guru Lyle Mast to Vancouver for covert practice sessions last week. Lack first returned to the ice only three days after the Canucks were eliminated on April 25.

“I just love the game and when I see my progress every day, that’s the biggest recognition I can give myself,” Lack said. “I just want to come to training camp in September as well prepared as I can and just take it from there.”

Yes, but whose training camp will it be? Lack goes home to Sweden today as a Canuck. It would be good if he returned to the NHL as one, too.

imacintyre@vancouversun.com

Twitter.com/imacvansun