Demko’s main numbers remain among the league’s best
Say what you will about save percentage and GAA, and everyone has their own opinion on the statistics. But when the league’s general managers vote for the best goaltender of the 2023-24 season, they will take those two stats into serious account.
Luckily, Demko’s 0.916 save percentage is seventh in the league, while his 2.47 GAA ranks ninth. But this ranking gets even better when you consider where he’s at among 1A and No. 1 goaltenders, which is fifth in save percentage and sixth in GAA, meaning he’s ranking at an average of 5.5 among his peers who are constantly getting starts.
Win-loss record isn’t a great statistic to go on, but it’s another one the league’s executives will also likely take into account, which is bad news for players like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and even the Seattle Kraken’s Joey Daccord. However, Demko is second in the league with 34 wins, behind only Alexandar Georgiev of the Colorado Avalanche.
Overall, it’s tough to say whether Demko is the front-runner for the Vezina Trophy, but he is definitely a front-runner. Despite his injury, Demko could further make his case for the NHL’s top goaltender award if he returns soon and enjoys a strong finish to the regular season.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference and QuantHockey)