[Report] Demko Status - Team looking for more goaltending help

[Rip The Mesh]

On 8/20/2024 at 2:09 PM, Bob Long said:

Rick is a drama queen.

Along with his 69 year old side kick. 

[Lemon Face]

2 hours ago, -Buzzsaw- said:

I said at the BEGINNING of last year the Canucks needed to use Demko sparingly... and not play him a lot back to back.

 

It should have been obvious to anyone who even took a cursory look at his injury history that he was fragile.

 

They had a really good backup in DeSmith, and they were a shoo in for for the playoffs, so why not play it safe???

 

But NO, Tocchet plays him like he is some indestructible robot.

 

Then after he is injured, he plays him in the post season too soon.... and he gets injured AGAIN.

 

And now, Silovs is injured and the team is REALLY f*cked.

 

Someone in upper management needs to look hard at the Canucks medical Staff and have a talk with Tocchet about not pressuring them to ok players who are not ready.

 

This could easily end up with a suit against the Canucks for Medical Malpractice.

If you think FO is not on the top of that situation,you are fool

[Hammertime]

5 hours ago, Lemon Face said:

If you think FO is not on the top of that situation,you are fool

And yet..... they stood by and watched it happen. I think it was pretty obvious with how many consecutive starts he was getting they were playing with fire. De Smith had played well too it was unnessicary.

 

They have yet to do anything about their goalie situation.

 

Really the plan was to go into next year with Demko and a guy who's played 19 NHL games over 2 years and was splitting starts in Abby. What could go wrong?

[Lemon Face]

13 minutes ago, Hammertime said:

And yet..... they stood by and watched it happen. I think it was pretty obvious with how many consecutive starts he was getting they were playing with fire. De Smith had played well too it was unnessicary.

 

They have yet to do anything about their goalie situation.

 

Really the plan was to go into next year with Demko and a guy who's played 19 NHL games over 2 years and was splitting starts in Abby. What could go wrong?

It is not realistic to think they just seating and watching everything just like that.It could be that they probably have some information we dont have.We are very fast to trust media and hoopla around our goalie situation.Maybe it is not that ugly,or they want to pick someone from the wire and wave him after few games,if situation with Demko is not bad.Bottom line they have much more info then we .They are to professional ,to be seen as amateurs.

[Hammertime]

26 minutes ago, Lemon Face said:

It is not realistic to think they just seating and watching everything just like that.It could be that they probably have some information we dont have.We are very fast to trust media and hoopla around our goalie situation.Maybe it is not that ugly,or they want to pick someone from the wire and wave him after few games,if situation with Demko is not bad.Bottom line they have much more info then we .They are to professional ,to be seen as amateurs.

 

The amount of botched recoveries are really starting to pile up. Pearson 5 hand surgeries, Mik tore ACL in preseason, Dickinson played all season with a broken hand then we dumped him and he looked pretty good this year getting Selke votes, Boeser thumb and groin etc, Demko came back too soon, Pete knee, Pods sat 7 games after convulsing on the ice and never looked right. 

 

There are bound to be injuries.

 

 

[Lemon Face]

4 hours ago, Hammertime said:

 

The amount of botched recoveries are really starting to pile up. Pearson 5 hand surgeries, Mik tore ACL in preseason, Dickinson played all season with a broken hand then we dumped him and he looked pretty good this year getting Selke votes, Boeser thumb and groin etc, Demko came back too soon, Pete knee, Pods sat 7 games after convulsing on the ice and never looked right. 

 

There are bound to be injuries.

 

 

Alvin didn't injure them,and he is not doctor ether.We talking about addressing needs.They did great job.

[bolt]

Top 4 goalies on UFA market

 

1. Kevin Lankinen

2. Antti Raanta

3. Martin Jones

4. Ivan Prosvetov

 

Has any been offered a PTO or contract?  What teams are still looking for goalies?

[gwarrior]

On 8/30/2024 at 12:08 PM, Rip The Mesh said:

Along with his 69 year old side kick. 

Haha!!!!! "69".

[Gawdzukes]

On 8/30/2024 at 10:59 PM, Hammertime said:

 

The amount of botched recoveries are really starting to pile up. Pearson 5 hand surgeries, Mik tore ACL in preseason, Dickinson played all season with a broken hand then we dumped him and he looked pretty good this year getting Selke votes, Boeser thumb and groin etc, Demko came back too soon, Pete knee, Pods sat 7 games after convulsing on the ice and never looked right. 

 

There are bound to be injuries.

 

 

 

I really love RT, his attitude, and hockey background, commitment, knowledge, and drive. I agree though, I hate that we played Demko into the ground, again. It should have been obvious as hell to give DeSmith more starts. Well, he must see now what us fans knew all along. 

 

  

20 hours ago, bolt said:

Top 4 goalies on UFA market

 

1. Kevin Lankinen

2. Antti Raanta

3. Martin Jones

4. Ivan Prosvetov

 

Has any been offered a PTO or contract?  What teams are still looking for goalies?

 

Apparently we offered Lankinen a deal. Probably only one year and he's looking for 2.

Edited September 2 by Gawdzukes

[GrammaInTheTub]

Some good news 

 

[VegasCanuck]

Personally, I think the Canucks will roll into camp as they are now unless someone offers them a really good deal. During camp, there will be other teams who need to expose a goalie that they don't want to lose on waivers and Canucks will pick someone up that way if Silovs and Demko are continuing to struggle with health issues.

 

 

[CanuckMan]

I think this was all just blown out of proportion by the media and then the fans. We will be ok. I trust this management.

 

If things were that serious I’m sure they would have done something much earlier in free agency.

[Bobby James]

If Demko will be back within a month of the season starting I wouldn't be surprised if they lead with Silvos and see how he does. 

 

This could be a big season for him and if he can show any indication of being a regular starter. Then in 1 or 2 years we may be in a tough, but good position of picking between goalies and getting something for the other. 

Edited September 3 by Bobby James

[Jaimito]

Canucks want to avoid LTIR: Jim Rutherford

 

Even with worries about their goalies, the Canucks are treading cautiously in their roster-building approach for the 2024-25 NHL season

 

 

Talking about injuries is never something Jim Rutherford is keen to do.

 

But with lots of questions swirling around the health of the Vancouver Canucks’ two main goalies, he is ever so slightly letting his guard down.

 

“Fair to say that we will wait until they get their training camp physicals,” the Canucks’ president of hockey operations told Postmedia on Wednesday about the status of Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs, who both have question marks hanging around them.

 

Demko injured his knee in the first game of the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring and although he was close to a return by the time the Canucks were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the second round, he has reportedly made slow progress since in a return to full health. Silovs is dealing with “knee ligament inflammation,” according to the Latvian Hockey Federation. The Canucks’ No. 2 goalie had been expected to play for his national team last weekend in an Olympic qualifying tournament, but was a surprise late scratch.

 

So far, the Canucks have been playing down the situation.

 

But they have also put out feelers to free agent goalies Kevin Lankinen and Antti Raanta. Ideally, the Canucks would bring one in on a professional tryout (PTO), which doesn’t bind the team to the player but would provide the Canucks cover in goal during the pre-season.

 

Lankinen, it’s clear, would prefer a full-on contract offer.

 

Raanta’s interests aren’t known, but it is notable that the veteran Finn played for Canucks coach Rick Tocchet for four seasons while Tocchet was the bench boss in Arizona.

 

Rutherford’s commitment to playing down the situation even extended to himself, quipping that he didn’t know if he, with long playing experience of his own as an NHL goalie, was an option for a PTO.

 

“Haven’t had my physical yet,” he joked, when asked if his 75-year-old knees might be up to the task of a training camp, 41 years after he last suited up for a professional game.

 

No matter the status of the team’s netminders, the Canucks’ front office is always discussing contingencies and possible other moves. You never know when a player might become available.

 

Overarching all this is the Canucks’ cap situation. Rutherford did acknowledge that they don’t want to have to use the salary cap relief measures available from putting a player on long-term injured reserve.

 

“What we want to do is start the season without someone on LTIR,” he said.

 

That’s a notable admission. The Canucks were frustrated at the deadline last year by their cap situation — they were over the cap, with the bulk of Tucker Poolman’s contract shuffled onto LTIR.

 

At the moment, they are under the cap, even with Poolman placed on conventional injured reserve. And if they stay under the cap as the season progresses, the savings made will accrue and could make a very useful total come the trade deadline — they could add a veteran player for another playoff push.

 

That wasn’t possible last season because they had no cap space banked. If they had, there was a good chance they would have been able to add a defender like Chris Tanev or a winger such as Tyler Toffoli.

 

In the meantime, questions will remain about the Canucks’ goalie situation. Rutherford acknowledged to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre that both the team’s goalies are hard at work in preparing for the season.

 

Demko apparently is back on the ice this week, although CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal has previously reported that Demko’s rehabilitation has been slower than expected, casting doubt he will be ready for the beginning of training camp on Sept. 19 in Penticton. Silovs was sat by the Latvians after his knee inflammation popped up last month, which the team attributed to overtraining.

 

Rest now, so this doesn’t develop into a chronic issue, they said. Latvian team officials, including goalie coach — and former Canuck — Arturs Irbe, said they expected Silovs should still be ready for the season and apparently training camp.

 

pjohnston@postmedia.com

Edited September 5 by Jaimito

[Breadnbutta]

28 minutes ago, Jaimito said:

Canucks want to avoid LTIR: Jim Rutherford

 

Even with worries about their goalies, the Canucks are treading cautiously in their roster-building approach for the 2024-25 NHL season

 

 

Talking about injuries is never something Jim Rutherford is keen to do.

 

But with lots of questions swirling around the health of the Vancouver Canucks’ two main goalies, he is ever so slightly letting his guard down.

 

“Fair to say that we will wait until they get their training camp physicals,” the Canucks’ president of hockey operations told Postmedia on Wednesday about the status of Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs, who both have question marks hanging around them.

 

Demko injured his knee in the first game of the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring and although he was close to a return by the time the Canucks were eliminated by the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of the second round, he has reportedly made slow progress since in a return to full health. Silovs is dealing with “knee ligament inflammation,” according to the Latvian Hockey Federation. The Canucks’ No. 2 goalie had been expected to play for his national team last weekend in an Olympic qualifying tournament, but was a surprise late scratch.

 

So far, the Canucks have been playing down the situation.

 

But they have also put out feelers to free agent goalies Kevin Lankinen and Antti Raanta. Ideally, the Canucks would bring one in on a professional tryout (PTO), which doesn’t bind the team to the player but would provide the Canucks cover in goal during the pre-season.

 

Lankinen, it’s clear, would prefer a full-on contract offer.

 

Raanta’s interests aren’t known, but it is notable that the veteran Finn played for Canucks coach Rick Tocchet for four seasons while Tocchet was the bench boss in Arizona.

 

Rutherford’s commitment to playing down the situation even extended to himself, quipping that he didn’t know if he, with long playing experience of his own as an NHL goalie, was an option for a PTO.

 

“Haven’t had my physical yet,” he joked, when asked if his 75-year-old knees might be up to the task of a training camp, 41 years after he last suited up for a professional game.

 

No matter the status of the team’s netminders, the Canucks’ front office is always discussing contingencies and possible other moves. You never know when a player might become available.

 

Overarching all this is the Canucks’ cap situation. Rutherford did acknowledge that they don’t want to have to use the salary cap relief measures available from putting a player on long-term injured reserve.

 

“What we want to do is start the season without someone on LTIR,” he said.

 

That’s a notable admission. The Canucks were frustrated at the deadline last year by their cap situation — they were over the cap, with the bulk of Tucker Poolman’s contract shuffled onto LTIR.

 

At the moment, they are under the cap, even with Poolman placed on conventional injured reserve. And if they stay under the cap as the season progresses, the savings made will accrue and could make a very useful total come the trade deadline — they could add a veteran player for another playoff push.

 

That wasn’t possible last season because they had no cap space banked. If they had, there was a good chance they would have been able to add a defender like Chris Tanev or a winger such as Tyler Toffoli.

 

In the meantime, questions will remain about the Canucks’ goalie situation. Rutherford acknowledged to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre that both the team’s goalies are hard at work in preparing for the season.

 

Demko apparently is back on the ice this week, although CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal has previously reported that Demko’s rehabilitation has been slower than expected, casting doubt he will be ready for the beginning of training camp on Sept. 19 in Penticton. Silovs was sat by the Latvians after his knee inflammation popped up last month, which the team attributed to overtraining.

 

Rest now, so this doesn’t develop into a chronic issue, they said. Latvian team officials, including goalie coach — and former Canuck — Arturs Irbe, said they expected Silovs should still be ready for the season and apparently training camp.

 

pjohnston@postmedia.com

Trade Poolman to Columbus to help them hit the cap floor lol?

 

Maximize our LTIR space.

 

Maybe it sounds dark given the situation Columbus is in and how it happened.

 

But this management team is shrewd and cut throat. Whatever it takes to win.

[Jaimito]

4 hours ago, Breadnbutta said:

Trade Poolman to Columbus to help them hit the cap floor lol?

 

Maximize our LTIR space.

 

Maybe it sounds dark given the situation Columbus is in and how it happened.

 

But this management team is shrewd and cut throat. Whatever it takes to win.

 

Interesting how it hurt nux in signing Tanev or Toffoli during the deadline.  

 

They need to be aggressive and setup for maximum flexibility at the deadline. 

[Rip The Mesh]

 

[kilgore]

 

https://canucksarmy.com/news/friedman-canucks-may-have-rushed-thatcher-demko-back-into-action-prior-to-playoffs

 

Friedman: Canucks may have rushed Thatcher Demko back into action prior to playoffs

 

Star Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko, who was named an NHL All-Star and a Vezina Trophy finalist for his exemplary performance last season, sustained a knee injury in early March of this year that resulted in him missing a few weeks of action.

 

Demko ultimately returned to his starting duties on April 16, just five days before Vancouver’s first playoff game of the year. But as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman indicated on Friday’s edition of 32 Thoughts – The Podcast, the Canucks put pressure on Demko to return to action and prove himself before the playoffs began, which, in turn, may have led to him re-injuring himself.

 

“There’s been a lot of rumours about what procedures Demko may or may not have had,” Friedman said. “There’s just a lot of mystery there, because nobody will talk about it. This is what I believe.

“I believe that the Canucks told Demko last year, before the playoffs, ‘We need to know that we can count on you in the postseason, we don’t want uncertainty, and you have to play two games before the playoffs before we commit to you to start the postseason.’ I think that’s a very reasonable position to take.

“However, what it did was it forced Demko to rush to get back, and I’m not convinced he was ever 100 percent healthy.

[Pure961089]

It just feels like more the the same with the Canucks and mismanaging injuries.  How far do you want to go back?  Just recently there has been Pearson and Mikheyev, now Demko.  All avoidable, if only they acted in time instead of rushing back or in Mikheyev's case playing with an injured knee. Timely surgery could have saved his season. He may never be the same.  Rushing Demko back could have permanently damaged his career, he may never be the same.  When will it end? 

Edited September 7 by Pure961089

[Alflives]

7 minutes ago, Pure961089 said:

It just feels like more the the same with the Canucks and mismanaging injuries.  How far do you want to go back?  Just recently there has been Pearson and Mikheyev, now Demko.  All avoidable, if only they acted in time instead of rushing back or in Mikheyev's case playing with an injured knee. Timely surgery could have saved his season. He may never be the same.  Rushing Demko back could have permanently damaged his career, he may never be the same.  When will it end? 

Sounds like Demko isn’t really injured though. He’s changing how he plays and that takes time. 

[Bob Long]

51 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Sounds like Demko isn’t really injured though. He’s changing how he plays and that takes time. 

 

Imagine if this makes him better. Oh boy.

[Pure961089]

53 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Sounds like Demko isn’t really injured though. He’s changing how he plays and that takes time. 

Doesn't he have to play through pain now?  I hope you're right and it's nothing serious in that case all he needs is some Vicodin, muscle relaxers and 2 shots of Bourbon. That will take the pain away, but lest hope the Canucks medical staff can do better.  

[Slegr]

On 9/4/2024 at 9:50 PM, Jaimito said:

 

Interesting how it hurt nux in signing Tanev or Toffoli during the deadline.  

 

They need to be aggressive and setup for maximum flexibility at the deadline. 

If we had landed Tanev at the deadline, we very well could have been cup champs. 

[Slegr]

It sounds like whatever has plagued Demko, he’s now going to just try living with it. Meaning he’ll likely never be 100%, and always need a solid backup who can play 30ish games a season. That’s quite a curse. As much as I’ve appreciated Ian Clark, one has to wonder if he may be to blame for some of our goalies’ injuries since his tenure. Markstrom seemed to play a fair bit healthier once he left our org, and we’ve seen Luongo and Schneider have shortened careers because of similar injuries. Does Clark force too much on goalies, creating immediate success but long term damage and unsustainability?

[Ghostsof1915]

If he's playing through it. The team better be looking at options in net. I'm more concerned it's been months and it hasn't healed. Shouldn't his doctors be looking at surgery or something as a long term solution?