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Canucks: Starting Braden Holtby tonight could be a costly mistake

By Brayden Ursel

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 6: Braden Holtby #49 of the Vancouver Canucks protects the corner against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 6, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canucks 5-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) ** Local Caption *** Braden Holtby
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 6: Braden Holtby #49 of the Vancouver Canucks protects the corner against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 6, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Maple Leafs defeated the Canucks 5-1. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) ** Local Caption *** Braden Holtby /
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Braden Holtby will start in goal tonight for the Vancouver Canucks and it could be a costly mistake.

For the first time in a long time, the Canucks find themselves with an even record. Thatcher Demko — the 25-year-old Canucks goaltender — has found his form and quickly became the single biggest reason for Vancouver’s hard-fought comeback. From down and out, to 16-16-2, Demko has been — by far — the best version of himself.

Demko has been nothing short of incredible. Through his last nine games, the San Diego California native has put together an 8-1 record, has a goals-against average of 1.74, with a 0.950 save percentage, and one shutout.

Thanks to his consistently impressive play through the month of March, Vancouver has climbed out of a hole that was once thought impossible to do and is now just one point back of the fourth and final playoff spot in the North division.

Now is not the time for the hottest team in the division to bench their greatest player. Turning to their backup goaltender to help them find a win is not the answer. The Holtby experiment in Vancouver hasn’t gone as the team has hoped, and he hasn’t been able to find his form under the highly respected goaltending coach, Ian Clark. His numbers speak for themselves. His performance in Vancouver hasn’t been pretty.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s important for goaltenders to get rest when they need it, but it has to make sense for the team. Why not play the guy who’s bringing in wins until he falters? Just because the “go-to move” around the league is for coaches to rotate their goalies on a back-to-back, doesn’t mean you always have to do that.

Right now is not the time to give Holtby the net, even if it’s for just one game. These games Vancouver is playing right now are crucial to their playoff goal. With teams ahead in the standings having games in hand, the Canucks can’t afford to stop the train. They need to use their success and run with it — even if it goes against what’s considered to be an NHL standard.

Next. The Canucks claim Jimmy Vesey off waivers. dark

What do you think Canucks Nation? Should the Canucks reconsider starting Holtby tonight?

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