Vancouver Canucks Prospect Thatcher Demko Expected to Turn Pro Today (troy ward)

troy ward

Vancouver Canucks Prospect Thatcher Demko Expected to Turn Pro Today

By Carol Schram

Apr 20, 2016 • 2:49 pm

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Happy to be back with some positive news to report on the Vancouver Canucks front:

This is great to hear. There are plenty of parallels between Demko's development and that of another former Boston College Eagle, Cory Schneider. If Demko can reach Schneider's level, he'll provide the Canucks organization with goaltending stability for many years to come.

Schneider also turned pro after his third year at Boston College, but he spent a year with the US National Development Program before beginning his NCAA career, so he was 21 when he joined the Manitoba Moose at the beginning of the 2007-08 season. Demko just turned 20 back in December.

It's definitely expected that Demko will join the Comets in Utica this fall—and that he'll face some challenges as he learns the pro game.

Kuzma thinks one year in Utica could be enough, then Demko will move up to join Jacob Markstrom as the Canucks' new tandem in 2017-18.

I think it'll take a little longer. Schneider spent three seasons with the Moose, playing just eight games with the Canucks in 2008-09 and two in 2009-10, before partnering up with Roberto Luongo for the 2010-11 season. Schneider may have been overripe, starting his career as a backup at age 24, and the organization may have taken its time moving him up because it was already committed to a long-term No. 1 in Luongo.

With Demko, I think the team will be much more eager to get him into that No. 1 slot, but I could still see him spending the better part of the next two years in the AHL.

So, what happens for the Canucks in net during that time? Both Ryan Miller and Jacob Markstrom have one year remaining on their current contracts and will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the 2016-17 season.

At this point, my best guess is that it'll be status quo next year. Despite the Canucks' terrible 4-10-1 record through the last 15 games of the season and those blowout road losses in Edmonton and Calgary during the final week, both Miller and Markstrom played some pretty good hockey down the stretch, when they were alternating games and sharing the workload.

Miller is turning 36 in July. He liked a heavy workload back when he was with Buffalo—he played 76 games in 2007-08—but at this point in his career, his performance is better when he's more well-rested.

In the end, Miller's stats for 2015-16 ended up just a hair better than Markstrom's—though Markstrom had the more successful winning percentage.

Miller was 17-24-6 with a 2.70 goals-against average and .916 save percentage, while Markstrom was 13-14-3 with a 2.73 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. For Miller, that's a slightly sub-par year compared to his career numbers, while for Markstrom it's his best NHL year except for 2011-12 in Florida, when he went 2-4-1 in a small seven-game sample with a 2.66 goals-against and .923 save percentage.

I think Markstrom still has upside. If I'm part of the Canucks braintrust, I do whatever it takes to keep Markstrom happy next season—which could mean letting him start even more than 41 games—in hopes of ensuring that he's willing to re-sign with the organization for at least a couple more years, rather than testing free agency.

As for Miller? At $6 million, he'd be an expensive backup, but money shouldn't be an issue for the Canucks next season, and it's unlikely that a less-expensive, short-term backup-for-hire is going to produce on-ice results that are any better than what Miller will bring. If Jim Benning does get a chance to trade Miller this summer, he should certainly consider it if he can get a decent asset in return, but it seems unlikely to me that any team would want an expensive, aging starter whose best days are behind him. Plus, Miller has that no-trade clause in his pocket, so he could veto any deal that isn't suited to his young family's lifestyle needs.

With Demko in the fold, it's not the end of the world if Miller stays and plays out his contract—as long as Markstrom's cool with it.

Word is that the Canucks' clear need for a goaltender in Demko's age range has been a factor in his decision to sign.

Moving on from goaltending, a couple of other quick notes that deserve a mention today:

Ward spent last season as coach and GM of the Madison Capitals of the USHL. The team finished eighth out of nine in the USHL's Eastern Division with a record of 25-27-5-3.

Apparently Ward is tight with Canucks' assistant GM John Weisbrod. He spent three years as the head coach of the AHL Abbotsford Heat—matching up with Weisbrod's time with the Calgary Flames organization—then lasted just 25 games as the head coach of the Vancouver Giants at the beginning of the 2014-15 season.

There's nothing official yet regarding Ward and the Comets, but...

Finally, if you're looking to play a little pickup hockey this summer, why not do it with Jake Virtanen—and support a good cause while you're at it?

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