The Demko Dilemma – Unlucky or Predictable?
A Historical Context to Try and Protect our Netminders in an Ever-Adapting Landscape By Austin V The Game: From Vezina Preview to Massive Long-Term Concern On the morning of March 10, 2024, the air in Vancouver was tense. The city was elated that the hometown Canucks dismantled the surging Winnipeg Jets the previous night in what was arguably their most complete game of the entire season. Canucks fans had this game circled on the calendar for months in anticipation of the face off between two of the pinnacles of modern NHL goaltending. Superstar Thatcher Demko had been phenomenal all year, sporting a 33-14-2 record, 2.49 GAA and a .916 save percentage, while Winnipeg netminder Connor Hellebuyck was arguably better with a 29-13-3 record, 2.29 GAA and a .922 save percentage. These were the two best goalies in the league at the time, and some of the more optimistic fans in the lower mainland believed that the winner of this game could win the Vezina Trophy, awarded annually to the goalten...