Player Discussion Thatcher Demko

[David71]

Of course it matters whether he returns or not. Risk of recurring injury is not the same as not being able to play.

This injury sounds like something that is still bothering him that may or may not go away. The question is whether it's safe for him to play. As far as I know he has been practising and no surgery is needed. If what bothers him doesn't go away is it safe for him to play? Like is it just something he needs to play through or is it something that he will aggravate every time.

playing through it he will aggravate it every time. he could be put on ltir and let his contract run out and vancouver can find a new number 1 goalie whose capable of being healthy when needed upon.

 

[F A N]

playing through it he will aggravate it every time. he could be put on ltir and let his contract run out and vancouver can find a new number 1 goalie whose capable of being healthy when needed upon.

That's the question though. There are goalies who play through pain (e.g. Luongo later years). But playing through pain that is fairly consistent where you learn to manage/deal with it is different from an injury that say can seize up, give out/become unstable, or produce a really sharp pain at any moment.

 

[CanucksMJL]

A scenario does exist where the uncertainty of Demko's reliability/longevity/cost has the Canucks seriously considering moving forward with Lankinen.

The only way I see it not being a serious consideration is if Demko comes back as a vezina caliber goalie AND has proven to the medical staff that his unprecedented condition is squarely in the rearview mirror.

The difference in cap between the two goalies moving forward -- under most scenarios -- is likely to be several million, IMO upwards of $5M or more. With the OEL penalty increasing the difference in play between the two has to be significant enough to justify a likely huge disparity between their prospective salaries.

All that said, Lankinen needs to continue to show what he has. His pedigree suggests his play is not an anomaly.

 

[F A N]

A scenario does exist where the uncertainty of Demko's reliability/longevity/cost has the Canucks seriously considering moving forward with Lankinen.

The only way I see it not being a serious consideration is if Demko comes back as a vezina caliber goalie AND has proven to the medical staff that his unprecedented condition is squarely in the rearview mirror.

The difference in cap between the two goalies moving forward -- under most scenarios -- is likely to be several million, IMO upwards of $5M or more. With the OEL penalty increasing the difference in play between the two has to be significant enough to justify a likely huge disparity between their prospective salaries.

All that said, Lankinen needs to continue to show what he has. His pedigree suggests his play is not an anomaly.

I don't disagree with your analysis here,. It obviously largely depends on Lankinen's performance going forward and Demko's health/return.

I don't think the difference in cap hit will be upwards of $5M or more. Depending on term, an expected starter with Lankinen's resume is going to make ~$3.5-4.5M AAV. A healthy Vezina-contending Demko will get ~$8M-$8.5M. Demko with questionable health? Probably ~$6-6.5M AAV on a shorter term deal depending on games played.

I think there's quite a bit of ways to go before we are able to make any sort of informed decision.

 

[centipede2233]

It’s really sad but I don’t think demko comes back to be a regular starter, injuries on goalies are just too hard to overcome, see bishop, price, Murray and Schneider. Not one star goalie has had a rash of injuries came back and went on to a long career afterward that I can remember.

 

[Nona Di Giuseppe]

For what it's worth, ChatGPT o1 preview suggests "isolated popliteus muscle belly rupture" after weighing all the info.

Now, I’m not cheering for this prognosis, but wild if true.

 

[Bobby9]

I love having Demko on the team. You can see the potential to steal multiple series from him. Unfortunately injuries have caught up and the team needs to start thinking about moving on from him.

Really wish we could see a playoffs where he showed the league and all the other fans what he is capable of.

Demmer will command 8 M a year on his next contract. Doesnt work without gutting our forward group. Need a succession plan quick.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

I love having Demko on the team. You can see the potential to steal multiple series from him. Unfortunately injuries have caught up and the team needs to start thinking about moving on from him.

Really wish we could see a playoffs where he showed the league and all the other fans what he is capable of.

Demmer will command 8 M a year on his next contract. Doesnt work without gutting our forward group. Need a succession plan quick.

Yes time to move on, would bring in a haul in a trade. We can’t afford to pay him more than 6M. Canucks can really solidify their roster by moving injury prone Demko.

 

[Bobby9]

Yes time to move on, would bring in a haul in a trade. Canucks can really solidify their roster by moving injury prone Demko.

Would target Philly, MTL, SJ, LA or Hawks in a trade.

 

[Jerry the great]

Yes time to move on, would bring in a haul in a trade. We can’t afford to pay him more than 6M. Canucks can really solidify their roster by moving injury prone Demko.

If we can't rely on him, why would anyone be willing to trade a meaningful asset to change places with us? He's only an asset if he's healthy and in that situation, he's likely worth more to us as a starting goalie than he is in trade.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

If we can't rely on him, why would anyone be willing to trade a meaningful asset to change places with us? He's only an asset if he's healthy and in that situation, he's likely worth more to us as a starting goalie than he is in trade.

Obviously the Canucks would trade him when he’s healthy and playing well, would you at that point capitalize on the opportunity and trade him for a great return or simply role with him with your fingers crossed hoping he doesn’t get injured again in the future? A tough call as he’s a great goalie.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Obviously the Canucks would trade him when he’s healthy and playing well, would you at that point capitalize on the opportunity and trade him for a great return or simply role with him with your fingers crossed hoping he doesn’t get injured again in the future? A tough call as he’s a great goalie.

Realistically see teams targeting him based on cap space availability: LA, Colorado, Washington and maybe Detroit?

If there is a bidding war then you indeed trade him for a young defenseman (looking at LA here). I cannot see a haul coming back in return though given Demko's history of injuries.

 

[Jerry the great]

Obviously the Canucks would trade him when he’s healthy and playing well, would you at that point capitalize on the opportunity and trade him for a great return or simply role with him with your fingers crossed hoping he doesn’t get injured again in the future?

Starting goalies who are in the conversation for Vezna trophies are worth far more to contending teams - particularly those that drafted and spent a decade developing said goalie - than one could ever hope to return in trade*.

If he can't get healthy, he's worth nothing in trade or as a player for us.

If he can get healthy and regains his prior form, he's worth more to us for the duration of his contract than he is to any potential acquirer as durability concerns will linger and his value as a trade chip is muted.

*The only path to a trade is if he's healthy next year and we're out of the playoff race and are in asset harvesting mode.

 

[VintageBure]

Give him ass much time as he needs; even if he takes the year off. Contract will be tricky tho, hopefully mgmt doesn’t commit long term with the long term injury risk

 

[VanJack]

The longer this injury lingers, the more you have to be concerned about Demko's future.

I mean, we're now talking six months. Under 'normal' circumstances, either the player would have had corrective surgery by now and be healed up and ready to go; or the injury would have gradually healed on its own.

The fact this apparently isn't happening is more than a bit of a 'red flag'. Maybe it is just one of these odd injuries that takes from eight months to a year to heal up fully. I guess that's the best Canuck fans can hope for.

But after this season, Demko is heading into his UFA season. In top form, he's still a bargain at $5m a season. But if he can't stay healthy, it wouldn't shock me if the Canucks were to move on.

 

[PavelBure10]

As we speak the whole Demko contract is scary. You know damn well that Demmer is a elite goaltender, but at this state not knowing his future due to his injury status, I am not even sure if I would offer 6. I don't even think his trade value is high, it will most likely be buyers beware with this player. I am worried this is a Cory Schneider 2.0. I just really want Demko to 100% recover from this odd injury. Demmer is a star, he is among the best in the league, but can he recover?!?

 

[Caspian]

I love having Demko on the team. You can see the potential to steal multiple series from him. Unfortunately injuries have caught up and the team needs to start thinking about moving on from him.

Really wish we could see a playoffs where he showed the league and all the other fans what he is capable of.

Demmer will command 8 M a year on his next contract. Doesnt work without gutting our forward group. Need a succession plan quick.

no one is offering him 8+. Goaltending is the most physically demanding position and the injuries just keep piling up. Didn't he have hip surgery during his draft year? Demko is a beast, its a damn shame.

who knows what he looks like with his bum knee.


If some team offered him 8 million its their loss.

 

[brock hughes007]

Would target Philly, MTL, SJ, LA or Hawks in a trade.

Who is gonna want an injury prone goalie.

 

[theguardianII]

no one is offering him 8+. Goaltending is the most physically demanding position and the injuries just keep piling up. Didn't he have hip surgery during his draft year? Demko is a beast, its a damn shame.

who knows what he looks like with his bum knee.


If some team offered him 8 million its their loss.

Double hip surgery, both. Same surgery that Schnieder got and that finished him.
I still don't think it is his knee and many pundits don't either but if they do know what it is they don't say, they just say things like mysterious knee injury that has never ever happened in hockey's history. Hips, knee more than once, back and groin all areas that a bad hip affects.
IMO it's arthritis in his hips and the fix didn't take.

Still there are teams that will take a chance just for marketing if the cost isn't outrageous. A win for the Canucks could be the cap space.

 

[PavelBure10]

Amazing how this went from Demko potentially being back if the Canucks made the Western Conference finals to being questionable in November. At this point I am not even sure to expect him back at all this season.

 

[rypper]

if they do know what it is they don't say, they just say things like mysterious knee injury that has never ever happened in hockey's history.

They've absolutely named what the injury is.

 

[TruGr1t]

As we speak the whole Demko contract is scary. You know damn well that Demmer is a elite goaltender, but at this state not knowing his future due to his injury status, I am not even sure if I would offer 6. I don't even think his trade value is high, it will most likely be buyers beware with this player. I am worried this is a Cory Schneider 2.0. I just really want Demko to 100% recover from this odd injury. Demmer is a star, he is among the best in the league, but can he recover?!?

This is more a Demko problem than a Canucks problem. Either he strings together a run of healthy play and looks recovered, or this lingers and he has trouble staying healthy. No team is giving him a chunky deal if this thing hangs around and there's a ton of questions around his longevity. If he looks recovered, you feel far more comfortable extending him if you're the Canucks, obviously. You also have the option of extending Lankinen.

 

[RobertKron]

Double hip surgery, both. Same surgery that Schnieder got and that finished him.
I still don't think it is his knee and many pundits don't either but if they do know what it is they don't say, they just say things like mysterious knee injury that has never ever happened in hockey's history. Hips, knee more than once, back and groin all areas that a bad hip affects.
IMO it's arthritis in his hips and the fix didn't take.

Still there are teams that will take a chance just for marketing if the cost isn't outrageous. A win for the Canucks could be the cap space.

Which pundits, specifically, don't think it's knee?

 

[brock hughes007]

Amazing how this went from Demko potentially being back if the Canucks made the Western Conference finals to being questionable in November. At this point I am not even sure to expect him back at all this season.

I'm not overly optimistic either.Even if he did come back,is he going to be reliable.
How many games do we get out of him.
Can we trust him being healthy for a playoff run.To many red flags for me.

 

[theguardianII]

They've absolutely named what the injury is.

Actually I don't think he did and the recovery time has far elapsed for that type injury.
I researched what has been said and if he has it he can't do knee bends let alone the splits. Walking would also be almost impossible so I think they just found some obscure injury to mask the real one. Wasn't it Dahli that announced what it was?