Vancouver Canucks: Why Olli Juolevi is not the No. 1 Prospect
The Case for Thatcher Demko
Thatcher Demko was the second goaltender taken in the 2014 NHL Draft, at 36th overall. While Demko seemed like the most talented of his class, being ranked No. 1 by NHL Central Scouting, the Calgary Flames went with Mason McDonald at 34 instead. Demko would undergo hip surgery in the summer of the draft, so the Flames wanted to be careful. It was a somewhat risky pick for the Canucks, but two years later, it seems safe to say that it paid off.
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In his first post-draft season, Demko posted a 2.19 goals-against average along with a .925 save percentage at Boston College. In the 2015-16 campaign, he improved to a 1.88 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage, as he carried BC to the Frozen Four. His save percentage “only” ranked fourth in the NCAA last season, but those numbers are outstanding — especially for a 20-year-old.
It is impossible to judge a player just based on his stats. There are many, many NCAA goaltenders who posted similar numbers but never went on to play in the NHL. The big difference is that very few of them got to those numbers at the same age as Demko. All three of the goalies that had a better save percentage than Demko in 2015-16 are 22 or older.
At this point, Demko looks like the kind of goalie who can carry his team like Carey Price has been carrying the Montreal Canadiens for the past years. The Canadiens were a sure-fire playoff team last season until Price went down with an injury. Demko could do the same for the Canucks — just hope he stays healthy, unlike Price.
As the Mike Richter Award winner and Hobey Baker Award finalist, Demko will start the 2016-17 campaign with the AHL Utica Comets. If he keeps up his current development pace, we could see him in the NHL very soon. He might at least become the first injury call-up if something happens to Ryan Miller or Jacob Markstrom.
Next: Brock Boeser