Canucks Beneath the Microscope: At his greatest, Thatcher Demko is amongst NHL's greatest

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We’re trying again on the 2022-23 Vancouver Canucks with a spotlight at the moment on Thatcher Demko. Within the coming weeks, we are going to break down the season and try how participant conditions undertaking going into 2023-24.

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Thatcher Demko

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Age: 27

Place: Goalie

Profession stats: GP: 5; File: 3-2-0; GAA: 2.75; SV Pct.: .908

Contract standing: Last 12 months of a three-year entry degree deal that has a cap hit of $786,111 US. Will likely be a restricted free agent subsequent summer time.

How 2022-23 went: Unhealthy begin, sturdy end

“Uneven” is a phrase we’ve not often used to explain Thatcher Demko, in any approach.

For the reason that Canucks drafted him in 2014, he’s been a pillar of consistency. There are lots of issues former Canucks GM Jim Benning bought improper over his eight years in cost, however urging the Canucks’ scouting employees to draft the towering Demko, who was ranked as the very best goalie out there within the 2014 draft, is among the issues he bought proper.

All the best way up, Demko not often took a improper step. His psychological focus has been unparalleled, his athleticism elite.

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However this season, for the primary time, there have been cracks within the veneer and maybe within the basis.

Coming off knee surgical procedure final summer time — reported as “minor” and a “cleansing out” by CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal — he carried out poorly to start out the 12 months.

Then he suffered a brand new harm, this time damaging his groin, which saved him out of the lineup for practically three months.

The excellent news was he got here again in excellent type and was clearly mentally refreshed.

“I took the time to only grow to be extra accustomed to my physique. I’m nonetheless younger, however I get older. The final couple of years, I positively have a greater understanding of what I must do. I’m actually excited to concentrate on that,” he mentioned late within the season, trying again at what he realized throughout his injury-enforced layoff.

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“And dealing on the psychological aspect of issues. There’s no actual ceiling on that.”

How the longer term seems: Fatherhood and past

He’ll grow to be a father this summer time, along with his spouse due within the subsequent month or so.

Anybody who has grow to be a mother or father will inform you how that modifications your perspective. In a late-season chat with reporters, it was clear he was within the early phases of recognizing this.

For a participant who has all the time been a eager pupil of psychological preparation, it’s probably it will merely add to his toolkit and grow to be one other pillar of power for him.

This previous season was a psychological problem, one he appears prone to come out stronger from.

The query is have been the 2 accidents he suffered final season merely a blip, or have been they warning indicators of future challenges to return. Fashionable goaltending approach is extremely demanding on the physique. Demko is aware of this. Low season preparation will get increasingly more necessary because the years advance.

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Best strengths: He’s a big-game netminder and has confirmed greater than as soon as he performs at his greatest when underneath stress.

Best weak spot: Each goalie’s largest enemy is their very own physique. He’s held up effectively to the calls for of NHL play to date, however protecting him match and prepared is extra necessary than ever.

Is he commerce bait?: Not for now. Perhaps if Arturs Silovs one way or the other turns into a big-time prospect. However for now, Demko is the chicken within the hand.

The large query: Can Demko keep away from the harm bug?

Extra from Canucks underneath the Microscope sequence:

• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Arturs Silovs
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Elias Pettersson
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Nils Hoglander
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Phil Di Giuseppe
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Sheldon Dries
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Vitali Kravtsov
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Andrei Kuzmenko
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Vasily Podkolzin
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Kyle Burroughs
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: J.T. Miller
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Brock Boeser
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Jack Studnicka
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Quinn Hughes
• Canucks Beneath The Microscope: Nils Aman
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Anthony Beauvillier
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Dakota Joshua
• Canucks Beneath the Microscope: Conor Garland

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