Main Photo: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
The previously unthinkable is starting to be heard in Vancouver: is a Thatcher Demko trade possible? The answer is that yes, of course it’s possible, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.
What a Thatcher Demko Trade Does for Vancouver
As much as fans of the Canucks were yearning for the team to start a rebuild, the management had other ideas. Signing J.T. Miller to a long-term deal gave the team four certainties: Miller and three starters in key spots. Elias Pettersson at centre, Quinn Hughes on defence, and Thatcher Demko in net.
As the season started badly and progressed to disastrous, a new plan had to be found. If that plan includes a three- or four-year gap before they see themselves as truly competitive, then maybe one of their biggest chips can get laid on the table.
A Bit of History
If the Canucks have any consistent strength, it’s goalie development. Coach Ian Clark is one of the best in the business, guiding Jacob Markstrom into a starting role even as Demko waited in the wings.
He didn’t get the role of backup to Markstrom until the 2019-20 season, five years after his 2014 drafting. Even after Markstrom left for Calgary, the Canucks brought in veteran Braden Holtby.
The slow play gave Canucks management an advantage when it came time to negotiate coming out of his two-year bridge. And that was a big, big deal.
The Positive
If the team isn’t going to compete on Demko’s timeline, he should go somewhere that is. That isn’t much of an immediate advantage for Vancouver, but other teams hearing that should come running. He’s 27 years old and signed for another three seasons past this one.
On a decidedly mediocre Canucks squad, Demko’s 61 starts earned Vancouver 73 points in the standings. His .915 save percentage included just a single shutout. Watching the games, you can see why any Thatcher Demko trade will involve a bidding war.
These are great reasons to keep him – unless he’s 27 years old and only signed for another three seasons past this one. As it is, Demko is on arguably the best contract the Canucks have right now. Any team that thinks they’re a goalie short of challenging should be kicking down the door for a chance to get him.
The Negative
On their own, Demko’s numbers don’t look particularly exceptional. They really stand out when compared to anyone else who has tried to trend net behind this Canucks defence.
Speaking of which, who else is trying to play behind this Canucks defence? Prospect Michael DiPietro is gone now, so the up-and-comer is the 21-year-old Arturs Silovs.* After him come a couple AHL veterans and that’s it. Clark may be the Goalie Whisperer, but even Robert Redford has his limits.
Goalies are notoriously hard to predict, especially when they’re young. These aren’t the days of an 18-year-old Tom Barasso steps out of high school and into 42 NHL games. No team wants to have their young players in front of a goaltender they don’t trust.
Good, veteran goaltenders cost money, so a Thatcher Demko trade won’t save the team anything in cap space before Silovs is ready. That’s assuming Silovs will reach the level the team hopes when the rest of the team is ready to go. It’s not like goaltenders can’t still be good at 30 years old, but the longer the Canucks rely on Demko, the higher the risk he might not be.
*Weird stat: three of six Latvian goaltenders in NHL history have played for Vancouver.
