Quote:
Originally Posted by Erick Estrada
It may work out for the Canucks and it may not. As much as we laugh at the Oilers for bringing back Mike Smith, Holtby had worse stats last season and hasn't have a SV% near .915 since 2017. Is Demko going to be good enough to cover for Holtby if he struggles? Are the Canucks good enough defensively to overcome below average NHL goaltending? That will be determined. I definitely think Green will have to adjust how they play as they are going to have to have to have more commitment to a defensive game.
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The team was incredibly committed defensively last season.
They're just not very good at it. I am not overly concerned about Holtby. The team obviously wasn't either. He's excited to work with Clark. Clark says there is some gas left in Holtby. And even if there isn't, it's two years to bridge into a full load for Demko.
The real truth is, next year is definitely looking primed for a step back, much like the Flames, Avs, Oilers and Leafs after their punching up seasons. It's a shame, but the flat cap really took all the wind out of the sails for re-signing any of our UFAs. Two seasons from now and the year after are when we're going to really have to make hay. We'll also find out if we've drafted as well as we think in later rounds, since that's going to be a major driver on whether we're a contender or not. If guys like Rathbone or Hoglander don't develop it really doesn't matter much.