NHL Network makes a statement on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko
Photo credit: Bob Frid - USA TODAY Sports
The NHL Network has made a statement on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko.
On Thursday evening, the NHL Network began their annual rankings of players by position as well as overall ranking and up first was the top-ten goaltenders list.
After a strong 2023-24 season, where he set a new career highs in wins, goals against average, save percentage and shutouts, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko was ranked 6th by the NHL Network heading into the 2024-25 campaign. This was a rise of four spots when compared to last summer when he was ranked 10th.
Ahead of Demko on the NHL Network's list was Ilya Sorokin (5th), Jeremy Swayman (4th), Andrei Vasilevskiy (3rd), Connor Hellebuyck (2nd), while New York Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin took the top spot this year.
"Demko (35-14-2, 2.45 GAA, .918 save percentage, five shutouts in 51 games) tied Saros and Oettinger for sixth in wins and finished fifth in GAA among goalies to play at least 25 games. He also was leading the NHL in wins when he sustained a knee injury March 9 that sidelined him for 14 games." The NHL Network said.
They added, "Despite missing time, he finished as the runner-up for the Vezina, won by Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. The 28-year-old also helped the Canucks win the Pacific Division, finish with 109 points -- 26 more than in 2022-23 -- and allow 2.70 goals per game, tied with the Bruins for the fifth-fewest."
They added, "Despite missing time, he finished as the runner-up for the Vezina, won by Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. The 28-year-old also helped the Canucks win the Pacific Division, finish with 109 points -- 26 more than in 2022-23 -- and allow 2.70 goals per game, tied with the Bruins for the fifth-fewest."
The 28-year-old Demko appeared in 51 games for the Vancouver Canucks last season where he had a record of 35-14-2, a 2.45 goals against average, a .918 save percentage and five shutouts. It was hands down the best season of Demko's career so far and it's unfortunate that injuries kept him out of the team's most important games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Demko is poised to have yet another big season for the Canucks and will very likely be in the conversation for the Vezina Trophy when all is said and done.
Source: NHL.com
NHL Top Players: Top 10 Goalies
NHL Top Players: Top 10 Goalies
| POLL | ||
AOUT 9 | 156 ANSWERS NHL Network makes a statement on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko Do you think Thatcher Demko should be ranked higher than 6th? | ||
| Yes | 113 | 72.4 % |
| No | 43 | 27.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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