Canucks: Why Thatcher Demko’s injury puts management plan in focus

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The plan was working.

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For Thatcher Demko to remain fresh, focused and formidable, his zest to be the best had to be more manageable. 

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Rest and recovery are as vital as form and function and the standout Vancouver Canucks stopper was in a very good place this NHL season as a Vezina Trophy candidate.

Then came Saturday night at Rogers Arena.

Demko left a showdown with the Winnipeg Jets in the second period with an undisclosed injury after making a save on a Vladislav Namestnikov wrist shot from top of the crease. He was slow to get up after stretching to make the stop.

Could it be a knee, groin or hip ailment?

“I don’t think it’s too serious, but I don’t know. I can’t speculate. I’m not a doctor,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said following a 5-0 victory that stretched the club’s win streak to four games.

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The club is off Sunday and Monday. Casey DeSmith will face the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday and Arturs Silovs could be recalled from the AHL affiliate to serve as backup.

On the play that could have prompted the Demko injury on a Jets dump-in, a retreating Quinn Hughes had to avoid colliding with an official as the puck went behind the net.

Demko deployed a defensive posture with pads square to the ice to guard both posts as Nikolaj Ehlers got position on Filip Hronek. 

Ehlers placed the puck at top of the crease, where Namestnikov got between Pius Suter and Nils Hoglander, and sent a wrist shot to the glove side. Demko stretched to his left and juggled the puck before snagging it. He then paused and reached first to his knee and then the hip area before slowly getting up.

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The Nemestnikov shot came at 2:34 of the second period and Demko didn’t face another before leaving the game at 6:40. He finished with 12 saves and even gave DeSmith an indication that there might have a relief appearance before calling it a night.

“It was nice having a little bit of a heads-up, just to get the mind right before going in and take it from here,” said DeSmith, who finished with 10 saves.

There’s ample angst about nature of the Demko injury because of what he means to the team its quest to have a long awaited and memorable playoff run.

The last time the Canucks were in the post-season — the suspended COVID-19 season in which they advanced on points percentage — Demko’s heroics earned the “Bubble Demko” moniker in the Edmonton-based event.

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He nearly backstopped his club to the Western Conference final as the Canucks rallied from a 3-1 series deficit against the Vegas Golden Knights before losing Game 7. Demko made 42 saves in Game 5, 48 saves in Game 6 and 33 in a 3-0 series finale setback.

Demko is in award-winning form this season.

He leads the league in wins withs 34. He has five shutouts. He had a nine-game win streak. His goals-against average is a career-best 2.47 and so is his saves percentage at .917. 

Demko has played 49 games this season — and if his recovery from injury is quick — he could hit the 60-game plateau again. Or perhaps, maybe dial it back to 55 to 57 to guard against injury and be rested and ready for the playoff grind. 

Good luck with that.

Demko takes the odd practice off, but still has sessions with goalie coach Ian Clark. He has a better understanding of nutrition, fitness and fatigue, but still played 64 games in 2021-22 with a 2.85 GAA and .915 saves percentage.

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“Demmer is like a smelling salt. We woke up after he made six or seven unreal save,” Tocchet said of a 6-2 win over the Oilers on Nov. 5.

A Zen-like devotion to his craft — especially obsessing over every piece of equipment — is why Demko can shoulder adversity and be better for it. He missed 35 games last season with a groin injury suffered Dec. 1. Six weeks of rehab turned into nearly a dozen.

Upon his return, he was under siege in a 34-save performance during a 5-4 overtime victory in Dallas. So, whatever the latest setback, he’ll fight back.

“He’s very intense — especially on game days,” DeSmith told Postmedia. “Great guy. Puts in the work and deserves all the success he’s had in this league, that’s for sure.”

Here’s a look at the one game that awaits this week:

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Avalanche at Canucks

When and where: Wednesday 7:30 p.m. | Rogers Arena

TV: SN Pacific | Radio: Sportsnet 650

Why watch: Avalanche warning is issued

When a team trades elite blossoming blueliner Bowen Byram, 22, to address a long-standing need for a second-line centre, you know the roster is loaded and the goal is obvious. Win now. The Avs acquired centre Casey Middelstat, 25, at the trade deadline from the Buffalo Sabres. He was selected three picks after Elias Pettersson in the pivot-rich 2017 draft, where nine centres were among top 13 picks.

Who to watch: Centre Nathan MacKinnon

Back-to-back, four-point outings last week were a reminder of MacKinnon’s quick pace and quick release to vault into the scoring lead with 111 points (40-71). It includes a 13 points (5-8) in his last five games and 26 points (8-18) in his last 12. MacKinnon also has nine power-play goals and eight game-winners.

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bkuzma@postmedia.com

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