Should Canucks fans be worried about Thatcher Demko?

Posted on April 19, 2016 by CanucksBanter

Demko’s delay to sign in Vancouver has fans fretting

Daniel Wagner / Vancouver Courier
April 19, 2016

Thatcher Demko has proven pretty much everything he possibly can in the NCAA: he put up stunning statistics, broke Cory Schneider’s single season shutout record for Boston College, was a finalist for the Hobey Baker award, and won the Mike Richter award as the best goaltender in college hockey.

The only thing he didn’t accomplish was winning the NCAA Championship, getting knocked out in the semifinal of the Frozen Four by Quinnipiac. That unfinished business, along with the idea of finishing his education, may be why he’s seemed so uncertain about signing with the Canucks this offseason.

That uncertainty has Canucks fans understandably nervous. If Demko chooses to return to Boston College, then he could become an unrestricted free agent just a few short months after his season ends next year.

Heck, just look at the comments to our post about Thatcher Demko playing in the World Championships: it’s largely comments fretting over whether Demko should even be considered a Canucks prospect.

This year’s Hobey Baker winner, Jimmy Vesey, has informed the Nashville Predators, who drafted him in the 3rd round in 2012, that he won’t be signing with them. He’s not the only one; there have been others, with Canucks fans well aware of Justin Schultz, who chose to sign with the Edmonton Oilers rather than the Anaheim Ducks

To put it simply, the Canucks have until August 15th after Demko graduates to sign him. Otherwise, he goes to free agency.

Should we be worried about this actually happening? Is it likely that Demko doesn’t sign with the Canucks?

Let’s start with the idea of Demko heading back to make another run at the NCAA Championship. The issue is that the Eagles will be missing several key players from this past season’s team.

Defenceman Steve Santini and forwards Alex Tuch, Adam Gilmour, and Miles Wood have all signed with the teams that drafted them. They might be joined by Colin White and Ian McCoshen. Add in four graduating seniors, including captain Teddy Doherty, and half the team will be gone.

Boston College will be returning their leading scorer and their top scoring defenceman and Demko is good enough that he could carry the team on his back, but it doesn’t seem like the Eagles will be a favourite for the Frozen Four next year.

But even if Demko does return to Boston College for one more year, that doesn’t mean he’s heading to free agency.

The Canucks hold several advantages to signing Demko. The first is that they alone can sign Demko before the end of the NHL season next year. As long as Demko’s season ends in time, the Canucks can ink him to a deal and play him in a game or two, getting Demko a year closer to his next contract. That can mean a difference of millions of dollars, so it’s a significant carrot to dangle, and since there are set limits to entry-level contracts, it gives the Canucks the financial advantage.

Another advantage is that the Canucks have a clear path to Demko becoming a number one goaltender. There are limited job opportunities in the NHL for a goaltender, even one as highly regarded as Demko.

With Ryan Miller’s contract up at the end of next season, it seems likely that Demko could be in the NHL as a backup to Jacob Markstrom by 2017-18. From there, Demko just has to out-battle Markstrom for the starter’s role over the next few seasons. Ideally, Demko would sign now and get a full season in the AHL before hitting the big leagues, but it’s conceivable that he could make the jump directly.

In any case, there are very few obstacles in Demko’s path. The Canucks don’t have anyone else. With Joe Cannata a UFA and, at 26, hardly even a prospect any more, the Canucks don’t have any goaltenders other than Demko in the system.

So, barring the signing of another free agent goaltender (such as, say, Quinnipiac goaltender Michael Garteig who knocked Demko out of the Frozen Four this year and attended Canucks development camp in 2014) or Benning grabbing another goaltender in this year’s draft, Demko will stand alone in the Canucks prospect pool.

So why would he sign with another team, who would just have more goaltenders with whom to compete?

Pretty much every other team in the NHL has a deeper prospect pool in net than the Canucks. According to Hockey’s Future, the Florida Panthers have the most goaltending prospects, with a whopping seven. The Stars, Oilers, Sharks, Islanders, and Sabres each have six.

The only team other than the Canucks that has just one goaltending prospect is the Ducks, but they have the 22-year-old John Gibson signed through 2019 and will likely re-sign 26-year-old RFA Frederik Andersen to a long-term deal.

The Blackhawks and Kings have just two goaltending prospects, but they have Corey Crawford and Jonathan Quick signed through 2020 and 2023, respectively.

That’s the issue for Demko: most teams either have a solid number one or tandem in net or have blue chip goaltending prospects on the rise. There really isn’t a better situation for Demko than in Vancouver.

For example, the one team that you might think has a clearer path to a number one job than the Canucks: the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs traded away their best goaltender, James Reimer, keeping Jonathan Bernier, who was awful this past season. There’s a job opening for sure, but there’s also some serious competition for it.

The Leafs already had two young goaltending prospects—Garrett Sparks and Antoine Bibeau—and signed Kasimir Kaskisuo out of the NCAA to further crowd the crease. Sparks may have posted an ugly .893 save percentage in 17 games in the NHL, but he had a strong AHL season, while Bibeau posted a .909 save percentage in the AHL, but improved immensely at the end of the season.

That’s three goaltenders vying for the starting job, not to mention Bernier, who could have a bounceback season. Why would Demko want to forego a clear succession plan in Vancouver for the uncertainty of Toronto or some other team?

The Canucks also hold one other trump card: Demko’s dad.

The patriarch of the Demko clan is a fan of Vancouver after spending some time at UBC. He even confided in our own Harrison Mooney before his son got drafted that he was hoping the Canucks would pick him.

If the elder Demko holds any sway over the younger, Thatcher won’t be signing anywhere other than Vancouver.

Source: Should Canucks fans be worried about Thatcher Demko?

Signing Troy Stecher was no slam dunk for Canucks

Posted on April 17, 2016 by CanucksBanter

JASON BOTCHFORD

Published on: April 16, 2016

If you were ever looking to find out what a 22-year-old gets up to on the Friday after signing his first pro contract, look no further than Troy Stecher.

The North Dakota communications major was in school, late into Friday afternoon, as committed to finishing his college education as he is to the Canucks.

Stecher signed a two-year entry-level contract with Vancouver this week, and is a promising right-shot defenceman whose presence in the organization should alleviate some of the residual angst over the Canucks pointlessly losing Frankie Corrado in the fall.

Stecher was supposed to be the Canucks slam-dunk college free-agent this spring. He’s from here, and grew up in Richmond. His parents live here, and there was a time when his dad, Peter, had Canucks season tickets. He even was a part of a Canucks development camp in 2014.

But despite any perceived advantages, the Canucks got a big win in signing Stecher, and it was far closer to not happening than most people have assumed.

“It was really close at the end,” Stecher admitted. “We had it down to five, and we narrowed it down to Vancouver after that. It was a long process.

“Being my hometown, it was an added benefit.”

The hometown kid signed by the hometown team makes for a wonderful story, and an easy one too. But don’t be naive. It’s not the entire reason he signed.

Stecher, who is bright, mature, thoughtful and impressively serious, understands math and the situation in Vancouver. Would the signing have happened with the right-shot 22-year-old Corrado in the organization still?

Maybe, but, maybe not.

“Obviously you’re going to do your due diligence and your homework,” he said.

Anyone could have assessed the Canucks as a team desperately in need of a young, right-shot defenceman who has an NHL shot, can make a power-play dance and someone who can skate.

And, boy, can Stecher skate.

For that, he credits his father for pointing out he had short, choppy strides when he was a young teen, and for a Tsawwassen hockey school, where he worked out with Brendan Gallagher and turned those short, choppy strides into something that, at times, made him look like a running antelope in the NCAA this season.

Watching some of his games, there’s Yannik Weber in him. Stecher is grittier and faster, but has that same dynamic offensive potential. And, at 5-foot-10-and-a-half is essentially the same size.

Generally, defencemen under six-feet are thought to be undersized. But Stecher counters that by pointing out the three defencemen he models his game after, Dan Boyle, Duncan Keith and the Minnesota Wild’s Jared Spurgeon, who are all successful NHL blueliners and all on the smaller side of the league.

“It doesn’t matter who you are, every player has obstacles they have to overcome,” Stecher said.

It has provided a nice incentive for him, as he said part of the reason trained those long hours to improve his skating was because of that label he wasn’t big enough.

Stecher’s breakout season for North Dakota saw him go from 13 points to 29. He was the sixth-most productive defenceman in college hockey, and that was like chum in the water for NHL teams.

There had been rumours even last year the NHL was interested in him after passing him over in three consecutive drafts because of his size, and output, which wasn’t impressive until this season.

His best line this week after signing was when he essentially said that if he were a Canucks fan he’d be jacked about the progress of his North Dakota teammate Brock Boeser.

He wasn’t talking about how many goals Boeser scored, which was pretty remarkable. Instead, he was speaking to how Boeser handles himself off the ice.

Thing is, Stecher is much like Boeser, the Canucks’ 2015 first-round pick. They are both dedicated, clean-living kids who, if they can make it, have the character to fit right into an organization currently led by two of the classiest players in the league, the Sedin twins.

For an example, Stecher is passing on an opportunity to play in Utica this season, something Ben Hutton did at the end of last year on an amateur tryout deal which didn’t impact his contract situation.

Stecher is staying in school in part because he doesn’t want to lower his grades, which would negatively impact North Dakota’s score in the NCAA’s academic progress rate program.

Low APR scores can result in NCAA penalties such as scholarship reductions and postseason bans.

“I never want a situation where something I did leads the coach to tell someone ‘Sorry, you can’t be a part of this’ because there was a cut,” Stecher said. “You need to leave the program in good standing if you leave early. I didn’t want to jeopardize the programs.”

It does sound like something a Sedin would say, doesn’t it?

jbotchford@postmedia.com

twitter.com/botchford

Source: Signing Troy Stecher was no slam dunk for Canucks | Vancouver Sun

Vancouver Makes It Three In A Row With 3-2 Win Over Kings

Posted on April 5, 2016 by CanucksBanter

CANUCKS BANTER By Andrew Chernoff April 4, 2016

The Vancouver Canucks (30-36-13) ended their 5-game season series last night against the Los Angeles Kings (46-28-5) at Rogers Place.

Los Angeles came into the game, 2-5-0 in their past seven games, and one point behind the first-place Anaheim Ducks with four games remaining.

Vancouver entered the game fresh off a successful sweep of a set of California games, against San Jose and Anaheim on March 31 and April 1, snapping a 9 game “winless” streak (0-8-1); and sporting a record of 5-9-1 since March 4.

The Canucks made it three consecutive wins for the first time this season, as they made it a sweep of the California teams and notched their 30th win of the season, in a 3-2 victory on home ice.

Jared McCann scored the winner in the last minute of the second period. Emerson Etem and Jannick Hansen had goals. The Sedin brothers chipped in with assists, along with Derek Dorsett and Bo Horvat. Ryan Miller stopped 35 of 37 shots for a .946 Sv%.

Ryan Miller started the win streak last Thursday against the Sharks, continuing it last night, and now is undefeated in his last two starts.

Los Angeles Kings vs. Vancouver Canucks VANCOUVER, BC - APRIL 4: Milan Lucic #17 of the Los Angeles Kings, Christopher Tanev #8 and Dan Hamhuis #2 watch Ryan Miller #30 of the Vancouver Canucks make a save during their NHL game at Rogers Arena April 4, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

VANCOUVER, BC – APRIL 4: Milan Lucic #17 of the Los Angeles Kings, Christopher Tanev #8 and Dan Hamhuis #2 watch Ryan Miller #30 of the Vancouver Canucks make a save during their NHL game at Rogers Arena April 4, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

GAME REVIEW

Both teams started the game with something to prove: the Canucks, that they could play better at home then their 13 wins at home indicate; and the Kings, prove that their rise to the best team in the division is no fluke and that they can play playoff hockey and dominate, opposite from what their previous game indicate.

Jannik Hansen would get the first penalty of the game at 3:27 for tripping Brayden McNabb and the Canucks would kill the disadvantage with little trouble.

The Canucks inability at winning face-offs in the game, losing 6 of the first 7, and being out shot 7 to 1, would lead to the first goal of the game and put the Kings up 1-0 at six minutes.

Tyler Toffoli, his 30th of the season, assisted by Jeff Carter (37) and Drew Doughty (36).

Vancouver would get a chance at 7:51 to respond to the King’s opening goal, with the man advantage, with their second power play of the game, when Andy Andreoff would serve a tripping minor against against Andrey Pedan.

The Canucks would fail to capitalize, adding to their futility on the power play, making it 1 for 39 in 15 games.

With 8:28 left, Canucks were being out shot 8 to 2; were 1 for 11 on face-offs; and being out hit 5 to 2. Kings with the momentum.

Vancouver would get another chance to improve their power play efficiency when at 14:54 Drew Doughty would visit the sin bin for tripping Jannick Hansen. Need I say more? That’s right, they are now 1 for 40.

Canucks would even up the score though, with 13 seconds left in the period, when Emerson Etem would score his 5th goal of the season, and 2nd goal in three games, assisted by Derek Dorsett (9) and Bo Horvat (23).

Tied at 1-1 after one period.

In the first period:

Vancouver out shot by Los Angeles 13-6 and won 6 of 19 face-offs.
Canucks out hit by Kings 10 to 8.
Vancouver face-off leaders: Markus Granlund-1 for 4; Bo Horvat-3 for 4; Brendan Gaunce-0 for 4; Henrik Sedin-2 for 6; Emerson Etem-0 for 1
Emerson Etem- 2 shots
Matt Bartkowski, Jake Virtanen and Emerson Etem: 2 hits
Vancouver power play 0 for 2; penalty kill, 1-1
Canucks TOI: Dan Hamhuis-8:31; Bo Horvat-6:01; Emerson Etem-6:41; Chris Tanev-6:46; Ben Hutton-7:40; Matt Bartkowski-6:19; Daniel Sedin-5:40; Henrik Sedin-5:37; Alex Biega-4:57
Teams Corsi For:
- Even Strength: Vancouver-6; Kings-19
- All Strengths: Canucks-9; Los Angeles-23
- Top Canucks:
  - All Situations: Alex Burrows -1; Andrey Pedan -1
  - Even Strength: Alex Burrows, Alex Biega and Andrey Pedan: -1 each

Los Angeles would continue where they left off in the first period, but push back by the Canucks would be quicker than it was in the opening period, as Horvat and Dorsett were buzzing around Kings goalie Jonathan Quick.

The Sedins would try a give and go that would lead to the Kings get the puck, leading to the go ahead goal at 9:15. Kyle Clifford, his 3rd goal of the season, deflecting Andy Andreoff (2) pass for the goal.

With 6:30 left, the Canucks were out shooting the Kings, 7-5, still losing face-off battles, 3 for 11; and even in hits at 6 each.

Vancouver would be back on the power play as Vincent Lecavalier would get some rest time for slashing Daniel Sedin at 13:30. They would get a two-man advantage at 14:20, for 1:10, when Brayden McNabb would be punished with an illegal check to head of Alex Burrows.

Jannick Hansen would score on the 5-on-3, his 21rst goal of the season, assisted by Henrik Sedin (43) and Daniel Sedin (33), to make the score 2-2. Canucks second power play goal in 15 games. It was Hansen’s first ppg of the season.

In the last minute of this period, it would be Vancouver who would score again, this time Jared McCann, would get the puck on a turnover and go in all alone on Quick, shooting high on the Kings goalie to bury it on the breakway, giving the Canucks a 3-2 lead going into the 2nd period intermission.

Jared McCann, his 9th goal of the season, unassisted at 19:27.

VANCOUVER, BC – APRIL 4: Jared McCann #91 of the Vancouver Canucks is congratulated at the bench after scoring against the Los Angeles Kings during their NHL game at Rogers Arena April 4, 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Vancouver won 3-2. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

In the second period:

Vancouver out shot Los Angeles 12 to 9 and won 7 of 18 face-offs.
Canucks and Kings had 7 hits each.
Canucks face-off leaders: Markus Granlund-2 for 7; Bo Horvat-3 for 3; Brendan Gaunce-0 for 2; Henrik Sedin-2 for 6
After two periods: D. Sedin-4 shots; E. Etem-3 shots.
Vancouver Time On Ice: Alex Biega-5:40; Dan Hamhuis-8:02; Chris Tanev-4:17; Ben Hutton-7:05; Henrik Sedin-6:09; Matt Bartkowski-6:03; Jannick Hansen-5:40; Daniel Sedin-6:48; Nikita Tryamkin-7:01
Teams Corsi For:
- Even Strength: Los Angeles-16; Vancouver-14
- All Strengths: Kings-16; Canucks-18
- Top Canucks After Two Periods:
  - All Situations: Bo Horvat +1
  - Even Strength: Alex Biega +2

The third period would come down to who wanted the win more, and both teams played hard, trying to leave everything on the ice when the third period buzzer sounded.

Nikita Tryamkin would give the Kings a man advantage when sent off at 15:15 for holding on Anze Kopitar. Canucks would kill the penalty mking it 2 for 2 in the game.

With two minutes it was anybodys game with the score 3-2 Vancouver. Miller standing on his head in the last half of the period, and the Kings driving hard on the Canucks net.

With 21 second the Kings would have a 6th attacker but all for not as the Canucks would hold on for their first three game winning streak of the season, all three wins coming against the NHL California hockey teams.

In the third period:

Vancouver was out shot by Los Angeles 20 to 6 and only won 8 of 20 face-offs.
Canucks out hit by Kings 7 to 4.
Canucks Time On Ice: Dan Hamhuis-6:36; Daniel Sedin-5:32; Henrik Sedin- 5:20; Chris Tanev-6:45; Ben Hutton-7:28; Jannick Hansen-6:24; Matt Bartkowski-7:05; Bo Horvat-6:31; Alex Biega-6:40; Nikita Tryamkin-5:40
Teams Corsi For:
- Even Strength: Vancouver-11; Los Angeles-26
- All Strengths: Kings-32; Canucks-11

End Of The Game:

Vancouver finished with 24 shots, Los Angeles 42 shots, and Canucks won 21 of 57 face-offs.
Vancouver had 19 hits to the Kings 24 hits.
Canucks penalty kill was 2 for 2; power play was 1 for 4.
Vancouver Time On Ice: Ben Hutton-22:13; Dan Hamhuis-23:09; Matt Bartkowski-19:06; Chris Tanev-17:48; Daniel Sedin-18:00; Henrik Sedin-20:11; Alex Biega-17:17; Nikita Tryamkin-17:40
Teams Corsi For:
- Even Strength: Kings-61; Canucks-31
- All Strengths: Kings-71; Vancouver-38
- Top Canucks in game:
  - All Situations: Alex Biega -1
  - Even Strength: Alex Biega +2

Videos from the official Canucks YouTube channel here : http://www.youtube.com/Canucks

Pictures courtesy of the NHL, and with thanks.

Vancouver Hosts Los Angeles Tonight At Rogers Place

Posted on April 4, 2016 by CanucksBanter

CANUCKS BANTER By Andrew Chernoff April 4, 2016

CANUCKS VY FOR SEASON HIGH 3RD STRAIGHT WIN

The Vancouver Canucks (29-36-13) end their 5-game season series tonight against the Los Angeles Kings (46-27-5) at Rogers Place.

Los Angeles is 3-1-0 in the previous four games between the two Pacific division rivals.

Vancouver enters the game fresh from a successful sweep of consecutive California games against San Jose and Anaheim on March 31 and April 1. Against San Jose, the Canucks snapped a 9 game “winless” streak (0-8-1), 4-2.

Former Duck, Emerson Etem scored the wining goal against Anaheim with under seven minutes left in the game, for a 3-2 Canucks win. Jannick Hansen contributed two assists; Bo Horvat had a goal and an assist. Dan Hamhuis had the other Canuck goal; Henrik Sedin and Alex Biega each had one assist.

Jacob Markstrom snapped his five game “winless” streak with the victory, stopping 31 of 33 shots, for a .939 Sv%.

Los Angeles, 2-5-0 in the past seven games, are currently one point behind the first-place Anaheim Ducks with four games remaining.

Look for Ryan Miller to start in goal for the Canucks, coming off a 4-2 win against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night, after going 0-3-1 in his previous four starts, snapping a 4-game “winless” streak.

Miller is 16-23-9 in 49 game starts this season, with a 2.63 GAA and .917 Sv%, 1 shutout. In his last 7 game starts, his is 2-4-1, with a 2.58 GAA and .927 Sv%.

For the Kings, Jonathan Quick is expect to start, and is 39-22-4, with a 2.21 GAA and .919 Sv%, 5 shutouts.

Vancouver Leaves California With Perfect Road Trip As Former Duck Etem Scores Winner In 3-2 Win

Posted on April 1, 2016 by CanucksBanter

CANUCKS BANTER By Andrew Chernoff April 1, 2016

The Vancouver Canucks (29-36-13) ended their 2-game California road trip tonight against the Anaheim Ducks (43-24-10), finishing off their 5-game season series, with a 3-2 win.

The Canucks snapped a 9 game “winless” streak (0-8-1), against the San Jose Sharks the night before 4-2 and were looking for a second consecutive win to sweep their road trip.

The Ducks entered the game having won five of their last seven games(5-1-1), and were looking to take top spot in the Pacific division with a win.

Former Anaheim Duck, Emerson Etem scored the wining goal with under seven minutes left in the game; Jannick Hansen contributed two assists; Bo Horvat had a goal and an assist. Dan Hamhuis had the other Canuck goal; Henrik Sedin and Alex Biega each had one assist.

ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 01: Emerson Etem #26 of the Vancouver Canucks celebrates his goal with Bo Horvat #53 and Brendan Gaunce #50 to take a 3-2 lead over the Anaheim Ducks during the third period at Honda Center on April 1, 2016 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Jacob Markstrom snapped his five game losing streak with the victory, stopping 31 of 33 shots, for a .939 Sv%.

Both Chris Higgins and Linden Vey left the game late in the second period and did not return for the rest of the game.