“We have limits on our physical capabilities, and with the mental side of things, there is no limit to the ability to keep building.” – Canucks goalkeeper Thatcher Demko.
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Thatcher Demko could have hit the promotional gas on Monday, but chose to hit the brakes when the topic turned to consideration of the Vezina Trophy.
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It was not surprising. That is the way it is connected.
Even though the Vancouver Canucks’ star starting goalie was named the National Hockey League’s third star for December, and he might have deserved some serious consideration to be the go-to man for the USA at the Olympics. Winter 2022, he wasn’t biting into anything that would put him on an acting pedestal.
“It’s an honor to be in that discussion, but I haven’t even played half the games yet,” Demko said. “So we can calm down a bit because we have a lot more work to do to get to the playoffs and we have some ground to make up, but we have prepared quite well.”
When you consider Demko’s remarkable run last month with a 7-1-0 record, 1.72 goals against average, a staggering .946 save percentage and one shutout, he should rank among the greats of the game this season. He has played the most games (27), faced the most shots (853) and played the most minutes (1,602: 58).
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NEXT GAME
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Ottawa Senators vs. Vancouver Canucks
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And as the last line of defense when the struggling Canucks couldn’t defend themselves, or kill a penalty with a historically low success rate before a coach change, it says all about how well equipped Demko is physically and mentally to deal with the media and a Pacific Division that is home to five of the top 10 scorers in the league.
That beat the drum of Olympic consideration.
“I wasn’t really thinking about it too much, to be honest,” Demko added. “We were dealing with things here and that was my priority. Obviously, it would have been a great opportunity without a doubt and something that all men seek to do. I think I was in the mix, but I don’t know who they would have decided to go (with) with. “
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What Demko does think about is honing her game to a sharp edge while remaining balanced.
In addition to better positioning, puck tracking, post-to-post moves and rebounding recovery, is his long-standing fascination with human performance, as he won six of seven consecutive starts before Jaroslav Halak hit the net on April 14. December.
“They’re split-second decisions and I’m probably the guy who’s had to handle the change of coach the least,” Demko said. “The rest of the guys have to worry about the systems.”
A goalie is often the best penalty shootout killer, but Demko said there’s a lot of credit for everyone as the Canucks posted 17 of 19 career opportunities from 8-0-1 under new bench boss Bruce Boudreau.
“The guys are alert and reading, communicating with each other and blocking shots and paying a price,” Demko emphasized. “Confidence built up and it was just a couple of small adjustments with a new staff and a new approach. The boys have bought. “
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Boudreau has certainly noted that the 26-year-old Demko arrived as advertised and is paying anticipated dividends for the $ 25 million, five-year contract extension he signed on March 31. Is it better than you thought?
“One hundred percent,” Boudreau said. “It has impressed me. There’s a lot of John Gibson (Anaheim) in him, but the things that he (Demko) says are way above my head. I barely got my high school diploma. “
Demko braced for the lawsuits as a prominent plug at Boston College, where he studied psychology, human development, and took sports psychology classes. His parents also studied psychology, so his worldview is intriguing.
“We are all adults and we have limits on our physical capabilities, and with the mental side of things, there is no limit to the ability to keep building in that regard,” Demko said. “Great goalkeepers in the league, that’s what they are always preaching.
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“Especially when things are not going well and you (the media) ask us silly questions, it would be easy to get frustrated. Anyone doing interviews must have some balance about you. You have to be able to calm down and handle certain situations. “
One situation for Demko is to practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday in preparation to face the Ottawa Senators on Saturday at Rogers Arena. It’s a long time between games amid COVID-19 awareness and game postponements. Rust is always a concern.
“Okay,” he said. “As a person, it’s frustrating and everyone is dealing with it (COVID) and we’ve been saying it for two years. I take it day by day. “
The same goes for flattery.
The ‘Bubble Demko’ nickname still bothers the plug because he knew it was a building block, not a career-defining postseason run in 2020.
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However, he did say something that could rise to the occasion in Edmonton’s restricted environment during the early days of COVID-19. He stopped 128 of 130 shots, including a 48-save shutout effort, in his four appearances to score 0.64 goals versus average and a .985 save percentage as the Canucks nearly advanced to the final of the season. Western Conference.
“I’ve done it for over three games and I’m making sure the consistency is there,” Demko said. “The bubble was what it was and a great experience, but I’m a little fed up with the bubble Demko.”
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