Sportsnet 650: Josh Elliott-Wolfe on the idea of the Vancouver Canucks trading goaltender Thatcher Demko.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
(segment was before the three-way trade made yesterday involving the LA Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets, and the Philadelphia Flyers)
“My thing is, and this has kind of been (Jim) Rutherford’s MO in the past, is, you want to create a team where the goalie doesn’t really matter. It’s nice to have a goalie like Demko, but realistically you want to be able to have a team that can win with, you need a certain level of goaltending, but a team that doesn’t need Demko-like performances to win night in and night out.
And I just think that if this team, if this management group, can make a few moves that maybe elevate to where they’re close to that level, then you can explore the idea of trading Thatcher Demko and maybe putting yourself at that level.
Because of what we heard when it came to potential rumored trade packages for Demko at the deadline, specifically from LA. I know Satar Shah Canucks Central has talked about this. Is, there was a right-handed defensive prospect, I believe it was Helge Grans, and then you’re maybe looking at center prospect, someone like Alex Turcotte, a first-round pick and you were also taking back somebody like Cal Petersen.
So, if, an ideal scenario you’re able to get a right-handed defensive prospect, something you desperately need. A center prospect, something you also desperately need, and a pick. And maybe you’re taking back a contract, and I get that.
Is that not something you explore and you trade from a position of strength to address multiple positions of weakness? And again, this is assuming (Arturs) Silovs shows well in Abbotsford this year, again, maybe plays 10 or so games in Vancouver. Probably less, five to 10 games, and looks like he’s ready to be the 1B. Maybe Cal Petersen, if that potential rumored trade did come to fruition. Maybe somebody like Cal Petersen or whoever it may be would be your 1A, and hope Ian Clark can help figure them out.
But I just think eventually you’re going to have to make a decision on Demko and look, he’s relatively healthy for a goalie. I was going to say, but there’s always a concern that eventually a goalies going to get an injury that is hard to come back from. With the two years left on his contract after next season. That would kind of give you ample time to try to figure out the ideal return for somebody like Thatcher Demko.
