Vancouver Canucks Prospect Thatcher Demko Starting to Impress

Vancouver Canucks prospect goalie Thatcher Demko had a rather slow start into his first pro season, but has finally started to impress.

The Vancouver Canucks have little to cheer about in this supposedly cheerful month. Injury-wise, this season is the same as 2015-16, and with that, the team is similarly unsuccessful. There is one thing that brings joy to Canucks fans, though. His name is Thatcher Demko.

In the first 10 games of the season, the AHL Utica Comets had eight losses. Demko, a rookie, was in net for four of them. In Game 11 against the Hartford Wolfpack, however, the Comets snagged a 3-2 overtime win — Demko’s first as a pro.

Since then, Demko’s season has been a roller coaster that only goes up.

In his last 6 starts, Thatcher Demko is 5-1-0 with a .946 SV% and a 1.51 GAA. He has let in 2 goals or less in each of those games. #Canucks

— Canucks Now (@CanucksNow) December 8, 2016

In his last six starts, Demko recorded five wins and just one loss, with an outstanding save percentage of .946, surrendering no more than two goals against in each contest.

Playing professionally requires a lot of adjustment, so it is great to see that Demko is getting it done. Through 13 games, he now has a total save percentage of .914.

With Utica’s starting goalie Richard Bachman out with a lower-body injury, Demko was thrust into the spotlight and he is thriving in his new situation. Bachman has a .876 save percentage through nine games, along with a 3.40 goals-against average. Michael Garteig, Demko’s current backup, has a .886 save percentage in one game played.

Thanks to his outstanding performances, Demko has a good chance of remaining the starter even after Bachman’s return. The Comets are finally winning hockey games — even with several of their leaders up in Vancouver — and Demko is a large part of the reason why.

Assuming the Canucks choose not to re-sign current starting goalie Ryan Miller at the end of the season, Jacob Markstrom will need a new backup. Going into the season, we assumed they might sign an unrestricted free agent or even promote Bachman.

However, while we want the Canucks to bring their top prospects along slowly, it is not entirely impossible that Demko makes the NHL club as early as next season.