The Vancouver Canucks had a major question mark heading into this season. Well, there were several, but the biggest one in particular was Thatcher Demko’s health.
After a couple of tough injury-filled seasons, Demko looks like he’s back to his old self. At least for the time being, it seems like Demko has returned to the form that put him in the Vezina Trophy conversation.
His performance on Thursday against the Dallas Stars was magnificent. He stopped 31 shots and bought the Canucks just enough time to explode after falling behind in the game. Even after the Canucks took the lead, Demko had to shut the door amid a barrage of shots from Dallas.
In defeat, Demko has been solid. In the 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Oct 11, Demko made 36 saves, while giving up two goals. That’s the sort of effort the Canucks need from the starting netminder. He’s the sort of goalie who can keep them in every game.
All told, Demko has put up a 2.28 GAA and a .922 save percentage this season. Those numbers, across a full season, look like solid Vezina-caliber totals.
Of course, the Canucks offense must pick up Demko. There’s no question about that. But as long as he can continue putting up the saves, Vancouver will find ways to score.
Canucks could be finding their groove under new coach
Another one of those major question marks was the effect first-year coach Adam Foote would have on the team. The early returns show that the Canucks have settled in just fine under Foote.
Despite the above-average 4-3 mark to start the season, the Canucks haven’t looked bad. They haven’t had the sort of game that would lead to questions about the team’s ability to remain competitive.
Yes, there are shortcomings, like all teams, but there’s no indication the Canucks are ready to fall apart at the seams.
Vancouver could use more scoring across the forward. But then again, which team doesn’t? The defense looks good, while the bottom-six forward group could be good enough to get by this season.
Does this mean the Canucks will get back to the playoffs? It’s still too early to tell. Bubble teams like the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, and Minnesota Wild last season could take a step back this year. That situation may open up an opportunity for the Canucks to nab a few extra points and get back into the playoff conversation.
It’s too soon to proclaim the Canucks a playoff team. But if their goaltending can hold and the overall effort remains consistent, the Canucks might just get back into the postseason this year.