The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have re-signed goaltender Thatcher Demko to a two-year, $1.05 million contract. The contract carries him through the 2020-21 season.
TWO MORE YEARS! #Canucks have re-signed Thatcher Demko to a two-year contract extension. Details ⬇ https://t.co/QvCSXK5L0e
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) April 24, 2019
Vancouver Canucks Re-sign Thatcher Demko
In nine appearances for the Canucks this season, Demko posted a record of 4-3-1 with a goals-against average of 2.81 and a save percentage of .913. He will be heading to the World Championships for Team USA. This will be his first time representing the USA since the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship. He will be joined by New Jersey Devils veteran Cory Schneider and Montreal Canadiens prospect Cayden Primeau.
Demko has spent the majority of the past three seasons with the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. Over that time he posted of a record of 55-35-12 with a goals-against average of 2.56 and a save percentage of .915. He also recorded three shutouts.
Demko was originally drafted by the Canucks in the second round, 36th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
What This Means for the Future
With Demko signed, the Canucks will move forward with a tandem of him and Jacob Markstrom. Demko is expected to be the back up this season. However, he should challenge for more starts and take some of the work-load off Markstrom. Markstrom is 29 and hasn’t really shown to be a reliable starter. While he has appeared in 60 games in each of the past two seasons, his numbers are merely average. With him turning 30 next season, he will soon start to show signs of declining.
Signing Demko solidifies the goaltending and also allows him to grow his game in hopes to eventually become the starting netminder for the team in the future. It will also buy time for prospect Michael Dipietro to come up through the ranks and grow his game, and he is expected to be the goalie of the future for Vancouver.
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