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Thatcher Demko

Pacific Notes: Canucks, Silfverberg, Ferguson, Coyotes

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After trading for New York Rangers third-string keeper Marek Mazanec yesterday, the Vancouver Canucks are returning to some semblance of a normal situation in net. The team announced that starter Jacob Markstrom has been cleared to play and will get the start tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. Mazanec will be the backup, and if Markstrom can’t hold up, could make his first NHL appearance since 2016-17 after exclusively playing in the AHL the past two years. As for Michael DiPietro, the young prospect is on his way back to the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s, as his emergency loan has come to an end. DiPietro allowed seven goals on 24 shots in his NHL debut on Monday, a forgettable performance that he’s unlikely to forget. Meanwhile, the team did not issue an update on backup Thatcher Demko, Vancouver’s other top young goalie, who is currently on the injured reserve with a knee injury. If the Canucks hope to sneak into the playoffs, they’ll likely need both Markstrom and Demko to get healthy for the stretch run.

  • As usual, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman provided plenty of insider information in his latest edition of “31 Thoughts”. An encouraging note for Ducks fans, especially during a stretch without much good news in Anaheim, is that Friedman claims term is the only thing separating the team and winger Jakob Silfverberg from agreeing to a contract extension. While that means the two sides are still apart, it was cap hit that was the major roadblock to a new deal. Due to Anaheim’s overall lack of cap space and the restrictions of “tagging”, many speculated that Silfverberg’s desired salary would be too difficult for the Ducks to manage. The fact that term remains “the final hurdle”, as Friedman puts it, would seem to indicate that the dollars have been agreed upon and a the odds of a new contract getting done are better than not.
  • Friedman adds a new name to the list of Edmonton Oilers GM candidates. While he maintains that Vegas Golden Knights AGM Kelly McCrimmon and former Toronto Maple Leafs executive Mark Hunter remain popular options, he also adds Boston Bruins AGM John Ferguson Jr. to the mix. Friedman notes that interim GM Keith Gretzky, who appears to have some job insurance moving forward even if it isn’t at his current position, has experience working with Ferguson from his own time with the Bruins. Ferguson is a well-respected NHL executive who previously served as the Toronto Maple Leafs GM from 2003 to 2008 and has been with the Bruins for the better part of this decade. This also isn’t the first time that his name has come up in regards to an opening; Ferguson was considered a candidate to run the Vegas Golden Knights and has already been considered a candidate to do the same with the Seattle expansion team. However, GM jobs don’t come around very often and, like McCrimmon, if Ferguson is offered the Edmonton job, is unlikely to pass in favor of waiting on Seattle.
  • One last interesting note comes in regards to the Arizona Coyotes. Friedman points out that the Coyotes are struggling with so many injuries that their AHL affiliate, the Tuscon Roadrunners, could only ice a lineup of 17 skaters last night, playing a man down. CapFriendly’s depth chart shows that only 15 skaters under contract with the ’Yotes, including just nine forwards, are currently in Tuscon, as Arizona needs all the help they can get at the NHL level. Fortunately, Mario Kempe, Brad Richardson, and Christian Dvorak are all getting close to a return, while Michael Grabner and Jason Demers returned to practice today writes The Athletic’s Catherine Silverman. The closer the Coyotes get to full health this season, the better their chances are to push for a playoff spot in the tight Western Conference race.

Vancouver Canucks Recall Michael DiPietro Under Emergency Conditions

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The Vancouver Canucks have recalled junior goaltender Michael DiPietro from the Ottawa 67’s on an emergency basis after Thatcher Demko suffered an injury in warm-up yesterday. DiPietro will join the team in Washington for tonight’s game, while Guillaume Brisbois has also been recalled to replace the injured Alexander Edler. The team has moved Edler and Sven Baertschi to injured reserve to make room.

DiPietro of course is already a star in Vancouver after his strong performance at the recent World Juniors, where he posted a tournament-best 1.23 goals against average. Originally selected in the third round during the 2017 draft, DiPietro has had quite the amateur career. Winning a Memorial Cup in 2017 with the Windsor Spitfires and even being invited to serve as the third goaltender for Canada at the World Championships last year, many believe he is a future NHL star in the making.

Still, the 19-year old has a long way to go before suiting up on a regular basis for the Canucks and has Demko to battle with for the opportunity to be the team’s long-term starter. He’ll likely head back to junior in a few days and continue his quest for an OHL Championship, before jumping to the AHL level next season.

Edler, who suffered a gruesome injury in yesterday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers, is expected to be out for at least a week while he deals with a concussion. Fortunately there were no facial fractures or major damage after he fell face first into the ice and was knocked unconscious. Demko meanwhile is undergoing an MRI to see the extent of his injury.

Mike McKenna Placed On Waivers

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As expected, the Vancouver Canucks have placed goaltender Mike McKenna on waivers today. McKenna was acquired earlier this week from the Ottawa Senators, but will likely swap placed with Thatcher Demko in the AHL so the young goaltending prospect can get a chance at the NHL level with the Canucks. McKenna will almost certainly take over the starting role with the Utica Comets, unless another team believes he can help them more in the NHL.

McKenna, 35, has played all over North America throughout his professional career, hitting the ice for six different NHL teams and 13 AHL cities. Heading to Utica is just the next chapter in a career that has seen it all. During all that time he’s proven to be an extremely capable AHL goaltender, but has struggled at the NHL level. Instead of keeping him as a backup in Vancouver, the Canucks will give Demko the chance to show that he is the next starter for the franchise.

There is a chance that McKenna is claimed, but even with his two-way deal that carries just a $700K cap hit it is unlikely. The veteran cleared before the season started, and there have been other goaltenders with more upside that have passed through recently. Any claiming team would have to try and put him through waivers again in order to send him to the AHL, at which point Vancouver would have a chance to get him back. There’s little reason to believe that McKenna is an upgrade at the NHL level for anyone, though there is always the chance that he’s used as an injury fill-in for a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Western Notes: Bennett, Pacioretty, Wilson, Vesalainen, Demko

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The Calgary Flames’ Sam Bennett doesn’t have to worry about anything as Kevin Kurz of The Athletic reports that forward will not receive any supplementary discipline from the Department of Player Safety for his hit on Radim Simek Monday night.

With the Flames up 8-5 and with 25 seconds remaining in the game, Simek was passing a puck when he took a hit from Bennett. Simek stayed down on the ice for some time before leaving the game. There was no medical update after the game.

  • The Vegas Golden Knights got some good news as winger Max Pacioretty was on the ice for the pre-game skate, according to SinBin.Vegas. The veteran is not expected to return to the lineup today, but it’s an improvement as Pacioretty hasn’t been on the ice since he was injured on Dec. 17. Head coach Gerard Gallant said Pacioretty remains day-to-day, according to Las Vegas Review-Journal’s David Schoen. Pacioretty has missed six games due to his lower-body injury, but the team hasn’t missed beat with Brandon Pirri taking his place in the lineup. The 30-year-old has 10 goals and 19 points in 30 games this season.
  • Adrian Dater of BSN writes that the Colorado Avalanche expect to get back winger Colin Wilson sooner than expected. The winger suffered a shoulder injury and was placed on injured reserve on Dec. 22, but could be ready to play by next week. Wilson was playing well in a middle-six role and has eight goals and 13 goals this season.
  • Winnipeg Jets prospect Kristian Vesalainen was named KHL Rookie of the Month for December, according to Pekka Jalonen of Iltalehti. The 2017 first-round pick started the season with the Jets and played five games, but after eight games in the AHL, opted to exercise a provision in his contract that allowed him to return to the Europe. He has four goals and 10 points in 13 games for Jokerit.
  • Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre writes that after watching the impressive play of New Jersey Devils goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood, who shutout the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 Monday, the Canucks should consider bringing up their own goalie prospect in Thatcher Demko. The 23-year-old is from the same draft as Blackwood and this might be the right time to give him an extended look, especially with the uninspiring play of Anders Nilsson as the team’s backup. Demko did miss the first two months of the season to injury, but he has posted a 2.63 GAA and a .909 save percentage and has little left to prove in Utica. The Canucks could consider moving Nilsson to a team in need of goalie depth before the trade deadline.

Goalie Notes: Price, Bachman, Hill

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The Montreal Canadiens announced today that starting goaltender Carey Price will not travel with the team to Florida as he deals with a lower-body injury, something that immediately set off alarm bells among the fan base. Price has dealt with several lower-body issues over the last few seasons that kept him from playing up to his potential, something that certainly still hasn’t been reached this season. The 31-year old goaltender now carries a .904 save percentage on the season which, while better than last year’s totals, is simply not good enough for the Canadiens to really challenge for a top spot in the Atlantic Division.

In Price’s place, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports speculates that Michael McNiven will be recalled given Charlie Lindgren is dealing with an injury of his own. McNiven has an .884 save percentage in 12 AHL games this year, and still hasn’t made his NHL debut. That leaves Antti Niemi as the goaltender to carry the load until Price can return, whenever that may be.

  • The Vancouver Canucks have some enviable minor league goaltending depth, but Thatcher Demko may have to carry even more weight for the Utica Comets going forward. Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet tweets that Richard Bachman could be out long-term with an Achilles injury, meaning Dmitri Kulbakov will be the backup tonight. Kulbakov has been bouncing between the ECHL and AHL this year, but could end up sticking with the Comets depending on what Vancouver does to address the injury.
  • Adin Hill has been recalled by the Arizona Coyotes once again, giving them three goaltenders on the current roster. Amazingly Calvin Pickard hasn’t played in a single game for the team since being claimed a month ago, while they continue to give opportunities to the young Hill. He’s done well with those spots, but one has to wonder how long the team will continue to employ three without giving Pickard any work. He very well could find himself on waivers for the third time this season in the near future. Arizona also recalled Michael Bunting and Conor Garland, who had been sent down as a cost saving measure over the holidays.

Prospect Notes: Demko, Makar, Laaksonen

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After the Vancouver Canucks used a second-round draft pick on Thatcher Demko in 2014, following a breakout freshman campaign at Boston College, and he proceeded to improve over his next two seasons with the Eagles, many expected that it wouldn’t take long for him to take over as the starter for Vancouver. Now in his third pro season, Demko has suited up for only one game with the Canucks and continues to sit behind the likes of Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson, who have been far from spectacular in that time. With the Vancouver duo currently combining for a save percentage below .900 and a goals against average over 3.00, this season would seem to be a prime opportunity for Demko to finally break through as an option at the NHL level. However, a concussion in training camp derailed the beginning of the season for the young keeper and he has only recently returned to the net for the AHL’s Utica Comets. The Athletic’s Jason Brough recently caught up with Demko to get an update on how his return from the “scary” injury has gone so far. Demko stated that he really wanted to take his time and ensure he was 100% before returning from the concussion, but feels good now. Demko continued that he has been working closely with the Canucks’ new goalie coach, Ian Clark, and is anxious to get his chance in Vancouver this season. Six games into his season in the AHL, Demko’s numbers aren’t as stellar as they were last season, but as he grows healthier and more comfortable in net, he’s likely to return to that high-level performance. Assuming he does, Demko should have far more than one NHL start on his resume by the end of this season.

  • Colorado Avalanche top prospect and college hockey superstar Cale Makar was invited to play for Team Canada at the Olympics last year, but declined the opportunity. History has repeated itself this year, as The Athletic’s Julie Robenhymer reports that Makar was offered a spot on Canada’s entry into the Spengler Cup tournament in Switzerland later this month, but has again passed up the international experience. Robenhymer writes that Makar has opted to work on getting back to full health before the second half of the NCAA season begins in January. With UMass ranked as the top team in the country, they need their top defenseman ready to go as they chase a national championship this season. While the Avs may have liked to have seen Makar in a different context at the Spengler Cup, they won’t hesitate to sign him as soon as his college season is over regardless.
  • One defenseman who may not be so eager to make the jump to the NHL is Buffalo Sabres prospect Oskari Laaksonen. Laaksonen, 19, was a third-round selection by the Sabres in 2017 and is a well-regarded young puck-mover. However, Laaksonen is comfortable staying in his native Finland for the time being, as Ilves has announced a two-year extension with their young stalwart. While the press release included a quote from Laaksonen that he is happy to stay with the team until something happens in the NHL, Buffalo certainly wouldn’t mind if he wanted to log some time in the AHL beforehand and it would help Laaksonen reach to top level much sooner. With Rasmus Dahlin, Lawrence Pilut, and Rasmus Ristolainen all relatively young and seemingly locked in to long-term starting roles, Laaksonen likely sees a lack of opportunity right now in Buffalo. However, he does seem willing to make the move once the blue line opens up somewhat with the Sabres.

Florida Panthers Seeking Upgrade In Goal

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Entering the season, the Florida Panthers’ goaltender trio of Roberto Luongo, James Reimer, and Michael Hutchinson seemed like one of the deepest in the league. As the second month of the season wraps up, the Panthers currently hold the second-worst goals against average in the NHL and their play in the net has been the team’s greatest weakness. As a result, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports (subscription required) that, despite their considerable depth, Florida is looking for an upgrade behind the injury-plagued Luongo.

Injuries have limited Luongo, 39, to just nine appearances, but even when healthy he has not looked like himself. Luongo holds a 3.07 GAA and a .902 save percentage that, if the season were to end today, would be his career-low. It could be that Luongo’s play is reflective of his poor health, especially considering his strong performance just last year. However, between his injury issues and inconsistent results, Luongo simply can’t be relied upon as a bona fide starter. Of course, that was the reasoning behind the Panthers initially signing Reimer three years ago. Reimer looked the part in his first season in 2016-17, with perhaps his best NHL campaign. Yet, his numbers tailed off last season as he too struggled with injuries and now this year Reimer looks far from a starting option. The 30-year-old leads the Panthers with 14 appearances, but has just four wins, tied with Luongo despite five more showings. His performance has been bleak, with an .895 save percentage and 3.39 GAA. Yet, the injury concerns and inconsistency of Luongo and Reimer is exactly why Florida signed Hutchinson this summer. That has quickly proven to have been a mistake, as the AHL veteran has been out of his depths in four NHL games, sporting a brutal .839 save percentage and 4.17 GAA. Hutchinson has struggled to even perform at an average level in the minors this season.

Nothing has worked out according to plan in Florida, so the team needs to make a move to improve in net. The problem with that plan, as LeBrun points out, is that Reimer still has two years remaining on his contract at $3.4MM. That contract could prove very difficult to move. Luongo is also signed long-term, with three years remaining, but it appears that the team would prefer to hold on to him despite his current struggles, even if they were able to find a take. As such, a long-term solution in net may be difficult to find, unless the team is also able to move Reimer. Nearly any established goalie signed beyond this season would put too much strain on the Panthers’ payroll, which is already close to $2MM from the salary cap. An expensive rental, such as Detroit’s Jimmy Howard, would also be difficult to manage. Cheap rentals, such as New Jersey’s Eddie Lack, Carolina’s Petr Mrazek, Edmonton’s Al Montoya, and recent waiver placement Calvin Pickard, are readily available, but would be unlikely to shift the status quo substantially. The Panthers could make a play for a young, affordable goalie lacking opportunity, such as Montreal’s Charlie Lindgren, Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko, Los Angeles’ Cal Petersen, or Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry, but it would come at a cost. The Panthers may want to upgrade their goalie depth, but such a move won’t come easy for the team this season.

Minor Transactions: 11/20/18

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The NHL is awash with news today despite only one game being on the schedule. St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers fans are dealing with the announcements that their coaches have been fired, while folks in Boston are just hoping for a quick recovery for Patrice Bergeron. Meanwhile, many other teams are busy tweaking their rosters in preparation for the rest of the week. We’ll be right here to keep track of all those minor moves:

  • The Columbus Blue Jackets have sent Gabriel Carlsson back to the minor leagues, after he has sat out for the last few days as the extra defenseman. Carlsson has played in just one game with the Blue Jackets this season, but has six points in 12 contests with the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL. Rather than let their 2015 first-round pick waste away in the press box, they’ll give him the opportunity to get back into game action.
  • Robbie Russo is on his way back to the AHL for the Arizona Coyotes, who have also involved Dakota Mermis and Mario Kempe in a paper transaction. That means, as Craig Morgan of The Athletic points out, that the latter two are still with the team despite being listed on the AHL roster. Alex Goligoski and Jakob Chychrun both practiced with the team today, meaning more decisions on minor league assignments could be coming down the pipe.
  • With Bergeron sidelined for at least four weeks, the Boston Bruins have recalled Colby Cave from the AHL. Cave is currently leading the Providence Bruins in scoring with 18 points, and could potentially serve as some added offensive punch for a team that will be sorely missing it.
  • Prior to their game tonight against the Edmonton Oilers, the San Jose Sharks have flipped Dylan Gambrell back to the minor leagues in exchange for Lukas Radil. The latter was very close to making the Sharks roster out of camp after signing in the summer, has shown he can compete in the minor leagues. Now 28, Radil has a decade of professional experience in the Czech league and KHL.
  • With Ben Bishop on the shelf for a week, the Dallas Stars have recalled goaltender Landon Bow from the minor leagues to serve as the backup. While he has just an .896 save percentage for the Texas Stars this season, he serves as another example of a big-bodied netminder that is given the chance to develop slowly in the professional setting. The 6’5″ Bow performed admirably at the end of his junior career and was snatched up by the Stars who believed they could turn him into an NHL option, and for at least the next few days he’ll get his chance.
  • Wade Megan has been sent back to the AHL by the Detroit Red Wings, with six games under his belt this month. Megan was held scoreless in those six contests, but they more than doubled his career total to this point. The Red Wings will likely use Megan as an emergency replacement this season whenever they deal with injuries, after signing him to a one-year, two-way contract in the summer.
  • The Nashville Predators gave Rocco Grimaldi a great shot to earn a regular role early this season, but as is always the case for the undersized forward, he is again on his way to the minor leagues. The Predators announced that they have reassigned Grimaldi to the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals after he recorded just one point in six games over the last month with the NHL club. A second-round pick out of the University of North Dakota back in 2011, Grimaldi has had a highly productive AHL career with the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche organizations, but hoped to find more opportunity when he signed with Nashville as a free agent this summer.
  • Thatcher Demko’s stay in Vancouver is over, although it never really began. The AHL’s Utica Comets announced that the Canucks had returned Demko to them, after the young goaltender began the season on the injured reserve with a concussion. Demko has still played in just one NHL game in his career, though it makes sense to let him get back to normal in the minors before considering giving him another shot at the big leagues.

Vancouver Canucks Place Anders Nilsson On Injured Reserve

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The Vancouver Canucks may have themselves a goaltending issue after the team placed goaltender Anders Nilsson on injured reserve Sunday,  according to Rick Dhaliwal of Sportsnet. While there was no apparent injury during a game, Dhaliwal reports that Nilsson is dealing with a hand injury and had no idea how long he will be out.

It’s a big blow to a young team that has been playing beyond expectations this season as they hold a 6-6-0 record so far this year. Nilsson has been the standout goaltender in net as he has fared better than Jacob Markstrom as the 28-year-old seems to be bouncing back from a rough first year in Vancouver after signing a two-year deal during the summer of 2017. Nilsson has a 2.67 GAA and a .912 save percentage in six games this year, solid numbers for a team that many had picked to be among the bottom teams in the league this year.

While Vancouver has a top-flight prospect goaltender in Thatcher Demko sitting in Utica of the AHL, Demko has been doing just that as he has yet to make his debut this season as he is still suffering from concussion symptoms that he suffered in a Sept. 22 preseason game when he collided with Calgary’s Mikael Backlund. Dhaliwal reported Thursday that Demko has seen a specialist and is doing better, but remains at least a week away before taking the next step in his recovery.

Instead the team recalled Richard Bachman from Utica, who will serve as backup. Unfortunately, the 31-year-old veteran has struggled in Utica so far this year. In five games, he’s posted a 4.23 GAA and a .865 save percentage, suggesting the team may be in trouble if Nilsson is out for any extended time.

 

Snapshots: Canucks, Watson, Olson

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The Vancouver Canucks will not have free agent addition Antoine Roussel in the lineup when the regular season begins. Roussel has been sidelined since the start of training camp due to a concussion, but the hope was that without preseason action, he would have the time and rest to be ready for the real thing. However, in speaking to head coach Travis Green, Ben Kuzma of the Province has confirmed that Roussel will not be ready for the start of the season. Green gave no timeline for his return, only stating that a comeback in time for opening night had been ruled out. Green did add that young goaltender Thatcher Demko has also been dealing with concussion symptoms. He has entered the league’s concussion protocol and there is no word on when he will be ready to play or whether he will begin the season on the injured reserve or in the AHL. Kuzma writes that Demko collided with the Calgary Flames’ Mikael Backlund during last Saturday’s preseason match, but his condition deteriorated to the point of being diagnosed ahead of the Canucks’ next game on Monday night. Considering bottom-six forward Roussel and current third-string goalie Demko have been the only training camp casualties in Vancouver, the team has had relatively good luck. They hope it stays that was as the team needs a healthy and positive start to the season given their struggles over the past few years.

  • Another player missing to star the 2018-19 season in Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson. Watson was suspended for the first 27 games of the campaign for his role in a domestic abuse incident this off-season. Watson pled no contest to the assault charges an the NHL felt that a third of the season was fitting supplemental punishment. However, Watson did appeal his suspension and that hearing with a neutral arbitrator took place yesterday, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.  LeBrun suggests that, unlike in salary arbitration, this decision could take up to a couple weeks. If Watson is successful in his appeal, an unlikely outcome, the arbitrator will choose a new, shortened length that he sees fit. If not, Watson will be eligible to return to the Predators on December 3rd.
  • Quinn Olson, the younger brother of Anaheim Ducks prospect Kyle Olson, has made a decision on where he wants to start his next season. The younger Olson will pass up the major junior route that his brother, a forward for the WHL’s Tri-City Americans, took and will instead opt to go the college route. Olson has committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth, the NCAA’s reigning champion, reports College Hockey Inc. The undersized but effective 17-year-old forward is playing this season for the Okotoks Oilers of the junior-A Alberta Junior Hockey League and could possibly play one more season with the team, but if he continues to score at a point-per-game pace, as he has for much of the last season plus, the Bulldogs will probably try to bring him in next year instead. Olson is a draft-eligible prospect for the upcoming 2019 NHL Draft and is likely to join his brother in an NHL pipeline shortly.

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