Player Discussion Thatcher Demko

[CanucksMJL]

A very conspicuous absence on the board here!

I haven't felt this secure with a goaltending performance since the early Luongo days. You could just tell it was going to take one of those seeing-eye shots through traffic to beat him tonight.

That aside, did these 3 incredibly impressive games spell the end of Markstrom in Vancouver? I realize the sample size here isn't much, despite the workload looking more like 6 games than 3. Games don't get much bigger than these ones and he delivered beyond any possible expectation.

Pros:

• He makes a pittance vs Marky and we need cap help wherever we can get it.
• He had 3 of the greatest goalie performances I've ever seen by a Canuck. In 3 elimination games.
• He is younger and fits the age group of our core.
• (Not really about Demko) Ian Clark seems to be a damn stud and given time turns prospects into stars.
• If he falters, we have time to find a new #1 while we wait for our boat anchor contracts to expire.
• People named Thatcher need every break they can get.

Cons:

• Short-sample, and has looked very human in previous starts despite those starts being months ago in what feels like an entirely different season.
• Crowdless games remove a ton of volatile emotional energy from the game. Goalies are often best when calm and collected and this sample of games were played on emotional e-z mode.
• If he falters, it could tank entire seasons and great goaltending is hard to find.

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[Bgav]

Canucks are absolutely dumb as shit if they take marky at his new cap hit over demmer

 

[wonton15]

These 3 games were incredible - probably the best stretch of play by a goalie in franchise history given the circumstances. Demko looks ripe and ready.

Is there any way we sign Markstrom for one year and make Marky/Demko work for one more year? Will there be any negative repercussions other than the fact that Marky wont want just 1 year?

 

[postiedogger]

They should stick with Demko and let Markie walk.
I hope he is not another Steve Penney but I don't think so.
Remember Montreal had to decide between an older Halak and younger Price.
Montreal made the right decision.

 

[BB06]

Wonder if the hurricane would trade Demko for 13OA? Or we could get a young ready to go top 4 D prospect.

 

[supercanuck]

Wonder if the hurricane would trade Demko for 13OA? Or we could get a young ready to go top 4 D prospect.

That's the only way I would sign Marky, is if, you can get a king's ransom for Demko. I just don't see any team willing to offer that up though.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

Wonder if the hurricane would trade Demko for 13OA? Or we could get a young ready to go top 4 D prospect.

I probably wouldn’t trade Demko for 13th overall, did you see those last 3 games!? Kid’s going to be Elite. He is the Future of the Canucks.

 

[CherryToke]

 

[StreetHawk]

Wonder if the hurricane would trade Demko for 13OA? Or we could get a young ready to go top 4 D prospect.

Better to let Marky walk. Some tough contracts on the books still and none willl be easy to move. Best case is a spooner for Gagner move where you hope a change of scenery helps but not interested in moving assets to dump guys. Down a 1st, 2nd , 3rd and Madden for Miller and the rental of Toffoli (I don’t see him extending). Can’t be giving up more assets.

thus more logical to go with the younger goalie.

virtually every team takes the younger guy. Where is TB now if they moved off Vasilvesky for Bishop? And this was a goalie who took them to the finals in 2015 and was the same age as Markstrom when TB moves him at the tdl to LA. Vasilevsky was 5 years out of his draft year. Demko is now 6 years removed from his draft.

 

[Angry Little Elf]

Goalies rarely ever fetch a good return in a trade. Luongo was the rare exception and markstrom was looking like a bust at the time. Ian Clark saved him.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

Wonder if the hurricane would trade Demko for 13OA? Or we could get a young ready to go top 4 D prospect.

If the Canucks could trade Demko for a sure-fire Dman under 25 on a good contract, that would be something to consider. The Canucks have a looming abyss at that position as Edler and Tanev age.


I will point out that there is every indication that Demko is not just a flash in the pan. He has been a highly touted prospect since being drafted who faltered just slightly as Markstrom hit his stride, otherwise he would probably be the Canucks' #1 already. But anyone with any eye for goaltending can see that he was the real deal in these past three games.

 

[VanJack]

If nothing else, Demko has stamped himself as a franchise goalie in the making. The only question is whether he does in VanCity, or whether it's for another team.

I can think of a half-dozen teams in the throes of a rebuild who desperately need to build around a young, franchise goalie. Maybe he can be packaged to a team willing to take on one or two of the Canucks truly awful contracts. But then if they re-sign Markstrom, there's still a chance they could still anoint Demko and trade Markstrom closer to next year's deadline. It's a nice 'problem' to have if you're the Canucks.

 

[CanucksMJL]

IMO we gamble on Demko. His performances here were about being technically sound and laser-focused. We weren't watching some unsustainable 2nd coming of Dominik Hasek meets cirque-du-solei.

The cap savings are critical for us to have a shot at keeping guys like Tanev and Toffoli. Those same savings allow us to explore trades without getting fleeced because we don't NEED to make a trade just to be cap compliant.

This is also a good season to find a good veteran backup/1b on the cheap.

 

[David71]

i would like to keep demko. let marky go. and find a veteran starter to split games with him.

 

[Scholarships]

Demko isn't some Hamburglar type burst on the scene, he has the pedigree. I would absolutely roll the dice with him

Given the Goalie market and the amount of goalies available I doubt we see an offer for Demko that is worth it

 

[vancityluongo]

He was absolutely filthy. That was a playoff performance for the ages.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

If nothing else, Demko has stamped himself as a franchise goalie in the making. The only question is whether he does in VanCity, or whether it's for another team.

I can think of a half-dozen teams in the throes of a rebuild who desperately need to build around a young, franchise goalie. Maybe he can be packaged to a team willing to take on one or two of the Canucks truly awful contracts. But then if they re-sign Markstrom, there's still a chance they could still anoint Demko and trade Markstrom closer to next year's deadline. It's a nice 'problem' to have if you're the Canucks.

I wonder what the season is going to look like next year, and what that will mean for the trade deadline. Every indication is that the Pandemic will still be ongoing 4-6 months from now.

 

[CherryToke]

If the Canucks could trade Demko for a sure-fire Dman under 25 on a good contract, that would be something to consider. The Canucks have a looming abyss at that position as Edler and Tanev age.
.

Brett Pesce

 

[StreetHawk]

I wonder what the season is going to look like next year, and what that will mean for the trade deadline. Every indication is that the Pandemic will still be ongoing 4-6 months from now.

Shortened season of around 50 games. Labour day is upon us and we are having serious discussions about schools reopening. No chance 10k fans will be allowed into indoor arenas. Not sure if the NFL can actually legitimately have fans in the stadium. Most are talking like 15k max in an outdoor venue which is like 20% capacity. That’s like 3.6k fans in an nhl rink but that’s all indoors.

I would let Markstrom walk and look for a former number 1 goalie to be my backup like a Howard, Elliott, Smith, etc. Someone with 250 nhl starts. In the event Demko does struggle want someone who can take the net for 3 straight games while Demko works on his game.

this is almost a TB scenario of Bishop and Vasilevsky. Established veteran who wasn’t a drafted, acquired via trade but took the opportunity and ran with it. Bishop got them to the finals in 2015 but was moved at the tdl in 2017 in favour of the former first round pick.

does that sound like the same thing here? What had vasilevsky done in the playoffs and TB was considered a contending team with a tonne of injuries that season.

Bishop turns 34 in November. So he was moved out when he was 30 going on 31 in 2017. Markstrom is 30 now. Vasilevsky was 23 in 2017. Demko is 24 going on 25 later in the fall. Follow TB and go with the younger guy. If Tb chose Bishop where are they now?

 

[eli4spetterss0n]

Brett Pesce

one can dream

 

[Paulinvancouver]

Marky deserves a “career year” contract. I don’t want to be the team that gives it to him.
Thatch still has work to do but we’re seeing some bright spots.

 

[HedonisticAltruism]

I know I'm stating the obvious here but what's most impressive about Demko is that he stepped into *three* elimination games and played lights out. There was some luck but not nearly enough that you can ignore that performance. Also, one of the broadcasters was mentioning an anecdote that in some elimination-type game (I don't remember exactly, it was just noted as being a big game) in his NCAA days, that a penalty shot was assessed against Demko and the coach (or whatever) noted that he was just casually swaying along to the 'elevator' music in between play. Cool as a cucumber.

 

[Svencouver]

You've groomed this top end talent to be your #1 for this core for years and he's earning that starter role with historic performances in must win games. He's the guy.

 

[StreetHawk]

You've groomed this top end talent to be your #1 for this core for years and he's earning that starter role with historic performances in must win games. He's the guy.

Green rode Markstrom as long as he could. When Markstrom ultimately got hurt he had to ride Demko.

the plan was to sign Markstrom but now Benning and company have to have a serious conversation about how much they trust Demko? Yes they would like a bigger sample size but that’s also on the Canucks for slow playing Demko. Signing Nilsson for 2 years. And they could have given him more starts.

it’s like signing a rfa to a long term contract now. Have not seen all that you wanted but have to decide if you want to risk it in order to get a big payoff later.

 

[VanJack]

Kelly Hrudy commenting that Demko's performance over three games was the best goaltending display he'd ever seen in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

It's a tough call for Benning. Markstrom is in line for a huge pay-raise, and he's going to want term on his contract. And he needed knee surgery during the stretch drive in March; and was obviously knocked out of these playoffs by some sort of undisclosed injury. Is this the beginning of an injury run that a lot of players experience once they hit 30?

Unless somebody steps up with a ridiculous offer for Demko, or is willing to eat some of the Canucks deadweight contracts, then I think you have to go with him for next season.