Quote:
Originally Posted by activeStick
I feel like they overplayed him during the season. I remember checking back near the all star break, and Demko was number 1 in minutes played and by a fairly wide margin. Georgiev was number 2, I think. The numbers at the end of the year have balanced out due Tocchet being forced to sit Demko with his injury, but I think that was a contributing factor to Demko getting hurt. It was never necessary to do that either as Canucks were fine and making the playoffs regardless.
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There was actually a logic to it, rightly or wrongly. Demko's hips have long been a problem. They're what he hurt before the draft. They're what he hurt near the end of the Boudreau year that required surgery. After that, he came to camp and wasn't quite right which led to a groin injury that was directly related to the recovery from his hip.
This season, he had the full off-season of preparation so the goal was to get him a full starters load, trying to push him to a point where he had been unable to get to before in regards to games and time played. In some respects, it was a success. He kept his play up through to March and his hips were not a problem in any way which is an optimistic thing.
Unfortunately it may just be that he doesn't have a body that can play Ian Clark's explosive goaltending style and start 65+ games a year. I don't think this is a knock, I am not sure many people can. Even Markstrom got hurt deeper into seasons. I hope they take this year as a sign that, while his hips are not likely to fall off in the next few years like there was concern about, he needs to be in that modern day 50 - 55 game sweet spot.