Canucks Caught in Another Controversy - This Time Between Goalies Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen

Canucks fans are having deja vu watching Thatcher Demko, expected to be the bonafide starter, struggle this season while supposed backup Kevin Lankinen has shone.

While controversy between the Canucks star forwards has soaked up most of the attention from fans, media, and the front office - Demko has been far from the star goalie the team expected him to be since returning from injury.

Over a decade ago the Vancouver Canucks found themselves in a goaltending controversy with Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider, and before that with Corey Hirsch and Kirk McLean, and so on and so forth...

The Canucks have seen their backup goaltender outplay the starter several times throughout the franchise's history, and it's happening again with Kevin Lankinen and Thatcher Demko.

While the team still seems to believe in Demko, Jim Rutherford's history with Carolina and Pittsburgh, where young backups supplanted the starting goalie en route to a cup, shows there could be a willingness to ride with the hot hand.

Without Demko stealing some games for the Canucks however, they may not even make it to the playoffs...

Source: Canucks find themselves in a good old-fashioned goalie controversy