Vancouver Canucks Assign G Thatcher Demko to Utica Comets

The Vancouver Canucks reduced their roster to 38 by assigning goaltender Thatcher Demko to the Utica Comets.

After sending Michael Garteig to the AHL Utica Comets last week, the Vancouver Canucks also reassigned goaltender Thatcher Demko to their affiliate. With that, only Ryan Miller, Jacob Markstrom and Richard Bachman are left with the team. All three played in the NHL for Vancouver last season.

The #Canucks reduced their roster to 38 players; one player was assigned to @UticaComets. https://t.co/IYLFy3yTos pic.twitter.com/X5w6slweVp

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 3, 2016

Demko, the Canucks’ 36th-overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, was signed out of Boston College this summer. He is expected to share the Comets crease with Bachman this year, but Garteig could also see some AHL time.

It seems like Demko and Garteig didn’t get to spend much time with the Canucks at training camp, but the Canucks brass and fans got long viewings of both in the Young Stars Classic.

In four preseason games, Demko got dressed twice, in a 5-3 win against the Edmonton Oilers and a 2-1 loss against the Calgary Flames. Against Edmonton, he made eight saves on nine shots in 29:41 of ice time, resulting in a .889 save percentage. Against the Flames, he saved all nine shots he faced in 18:31 of ice time.

While Demko didn’t get to play behind a lineup that’s close to what the Canucks will look like come regular season, he did leave a lasting impression at the Young Stars Classic. Demko is the Canucks’ starter of the future, and that expectation hasn’t changed.

It is hard to predict when Demko will be ready to make the jump to the NHL full-time, but 2018-19 sounds like a realistic expectation. From there, it could be another couple of years before he is ready to be the starter.

Luckily, Jacob Markstrom had a strong 2015-16 campaign and should be a solid option for now. The Swede will make his 2016 preseason debut tonight against the Arizona Coyotes.

With the Vancouver Canucks roster down to 38, the club has to make 15 more roster moves to hit the 23-player maximum. The Canucks still have a rather big roster compared to other teams, as they are taking long looks at their bottom-six options and defensemen.