Thatcher Demko likely to carry a heavy workload for the Canucks, so how many starts can the back-up expect in early going?
The Vancouver Canucks play 35 games before Christmas. This much we know, Thatcher Demko -- if healthy -- will get the start in goal in most of those games. What we don't know is who the back-up will be and how many starts Demko's understudy should expect in the early going this season.
With a premium on a better start than in recent years, the Canucks will likely lean on Demko to keep them in the mix in the Pacific Division and Western Conference. The schedule offers just five sets of back to backs prior to the team's brief holiday break and the first occasion is a pair of home games October 27th and 28th against St. Louis and the New York Rangers. It's conceivable Demko could get tapped for both of those games.
The other back to backs are in Toronto and Montreal, at home to the Islanders followed by a quick trip to Calgary, games in Seattle and San Jose and stops in Minnesota and Chicago in mid-December.
Two seasons ago with a dialled in Demko, veteran back-up Jaroslav Halas started just eight of the team's first 35 games. And that was with Halak posting an impressive .915 save percentage behind a porous Canucks defense.
The back-up battle this time around appears to be between Spencer Martin and Arturs Silovs. Neither has the experience nor the track record of a goalie like Halak. If the Canucks feel they need to ride Demko in the early going, they may be reluctant to offer the back-up many starts in the first half of the season.
With the possibility the back-up role may be more of a practice netminder than NHL regular, it may make sense for the Canucks to start the season with Martin resuming his duty as the back-up to Demko while the 22-year-old Silovs carries the load and continues to develop in Abbotsford. Perhaps, the organization can find spot duty for Silovs to join the big league team for occasional practices at Rogers Arena and maybe even some NHL game action in the first few months of the season.
Regardless, it appears to be Demko's net pretty much whenever he wants it as long as he shows the form he did late last season after missing three months with a hip injury. And riding a starting goalie in the early going is hardly uncommon in the NHL. Last season, Carter Hart and Igor Shesterkin both made 26 starts for their teams prior to Christmas while Connor Hellebuyck, Jusse Saros and Jordan Binnington all started 25 contests. It is important to note, two of those goalies were based in the East and the other three in Central Division. Geography and the travel demands that come with it may force the Canucks to ease the burden just a little bit on Demko.
Still, Rick Tocchet showed late last season how much he valued Demko's ability to deliver results for the hockey club. And ultimately those were mean nothing games in terms of a playoff chase. With the team's stated goal of returning to the post-season next spring, look for Tocchet to run with his main man on most nights to give his club stabliity in the standings.
That begs the question: will the Canucks turn to their back-up more than eight times prior to Christmas? And with only one set of back to back games in the first 14 on the schedule, how often will Demko get a night off over that stretch?