In a vacuum, the concept of the Canucks wanting to trade goaltender Thatcher Demko makes no sense. He’s a known commodity who’s capable of stealing games for you and should be in the prime of his playing career at age-27.
Yes, he had some struggles this early season and yes he’s had some injury issues, but as we’ve preached within these pages many times, the goaltending profession is fickle and unpredictable.
Even without performance guarantees, which aren’t possible with the most important position on the ice, Demko is an affordable number-one who still possesses a tremendous upside. A potential game-saver for the Canucks for three more years at $5-million per season. Heck yeah!
So if these aren’t just rumours manufactured by our friendly neighbourhood rumour starters, then it raises a legitimate question: Does he want to get traded?
He knows the organization, he sees what’s going on, he knows more than you and I, so maybe he’s just fed up. “Get me the hell out of here.”
Answering Canucks Rumours
Why would the Canucks shed one of the guys who until very recently was listed as part of the hypothetical ‘untouchable’ list with Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. The club’s lost all faith?
And should this move be made, then who takes over the helm, a veteran from somewhere else that costs the club even more money? Why would you clear cap space with a potential top-5 NHL goalie when he’s not that expensive in the first place?
Picture the press conference with Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin: “We just felt it was time to move on from Thatcher and explore some other goaltending opportunities.”
Can’t see it, and with no organizational depth in the position, they sure the hell ain’t sticking with what else they have right now for any length of time. That experiment failed predictably.
There’s no rush for Demko to play at the moment, although we have heard he’ll be back when the bye week and the All-Star break come to a conclusion.
Then he can get some work in, find his game in another season that’s long lost and …
… wow, maybe he does want to get the hell out of here.
