2. The Jacob Markstrom & Thatcher Demko duo will be even better
If there was a position of strength for the Canucks this year, no doubt it had to be the goaltending. The offence was dynamite, Hughes was often jaw-dropping on the blueline, but it was the duo of Jacob Markstrom and Thatcher Demko that stole the spotlight. Without them, their theoretical playoff ship could have very well sunk before it even left the harbour.
Markstrom showed signs of being a legit starter with an impressive few months of netminding in the latter half of last year, but he more than proved it wasn’t a one-time thing this season. He was a rock from October to now and he had his career-best performance in 2019-20 with a very first All-Star Game appearance to prove it.
He’s an upcoming UFA, but Benning and his staff will do whatever they can to get a fair deal done. Demko was the perfect rookie backup this season, but 37 NHL games under his belt might be a sign he’s not quite ready to be a starter. Who knows, maybe he is.
Demko is going to be a very great goaltender in this league one day, but it might not be worth the gamble just yet. Don’t just give him the keys. Extend Markstrom ensures that Demko returns again hungry to prove his worth. A little healthy competition will boost the performance of both goalies and help push the tandem next year into one of the league’s best duos.