Canucks: Thatcher Demko is giving Jim Benning a lot to think about

Thanks to his playoff heroics, Thatcher Demko is giving general manager Jim Benning and the Vancouver Canucks a lot to think about ahead of the offseason.

Thanks to the incredible performance of backup goalie Thatcher Demko, the Vancouver Canucks now find themselves just one win away from the Western Conference Final.

Filling in for an injured Jacob Markstrom on Tuesday night, Demko stopped 42 of 43 shots from the Vegas Golden Knights to help the Canucks escape with a thrilling 2-1 victory in Game 5. But Demko’s heroics didn’t end there.

The 4-0 final in Thursday’s Game 6 would indicate that this was an easy win for the Canucks. But it was actually the Golden Knights who completely dominated the game. Demko turned aside all 48 shots, and a plethora of them were grade-A scoring chances. Thanks to a little bit of help from goal posts, Demko managed to record his first career shutout.

Regardless of what happens in Game 7, these two Dominik Hasek and Patrick Roy-like playoff performances from Demko should give the organization a lot to think about once the offseason arrives.

Yes, Markstrom was the team MVP for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. Demko wasn’t as consistent in the regular season, but if he can turn aside 90 of 91 shots against a powerhouse Vegas team in a pair of must-win and pressure-filled games, one can only imagine what he could do as a regular starting goalie.

Markstrom may be the better regular season goalie and all, but you can’t put a price on “clutch” playoff goaltending. Markstrom has given up three or more goals in nine playoff games this year, and four or more goals in three games.

The 30-year-old Markstrom is a pending UFA, and the cap-strapped Canucks have to decide if he’s worth investing in long-term. Demko is five years younger, and even though it’s a short sample size, he simply looks like the better playoff performer.

If Markstrom leaves, and if Benning and the Canucks aren’t comfortable making Demko a regular starter next year, they can at least find a quality veteran backup that can shoulder some of the workload.

This isn’t to say that Vancouver should let Markstrom walk in free agency no matter what. But if the two sides aren’t seeing eye to eye on a new deal, Benning and company shouldn’t be afraid to hand the starting reigns over to Demko.

He’s the reason why the Canucks are preparing for a Game 7, after all.