Canucks Recall Thatcher Demko ?!?!?!

Word slipped out late last night that the Canucks had recalled prized goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko from Utica in advance of their game against the Florida Panthers tonight.

This represents a serious deviation from their plans heading into the season, but even the best laid plans often go awry and circumstances have all but demanded this: those being that goaltenders Ryan Miller and Richard Bachman are injured at the same time, jamming the Canucks in terms of an NHL backup for Jacob Markstrom tonight in Sunrise, Florida.

While word didn’t officially come from the Canucks until the last hour or so, logic dictated that the move needed to happen. Add to that the fact that Thatcher Demko was on the ice with the Canucks in Florida this morning, and I think the jig was up.

When the Canucks last needed a goaltender from the minors, they turned to Michael Garteig, who was simply closer in proximity due to a road trip with the Alaska Aces, and he suited up as a backup. The Canucks had the option of doing the same thing this time, given that Demko and Garteig were in the same place.

However it seems they’ve chosen to reward Demko for his recent stretch of strong play. Up until last night, Demko had gone six straight starts allowing two goals or fewer, dating back to November 23rd. Even including last night, in which he allowed four goals on 28 shots (and two of the goals were awfully fluky), Demko has a .935 save percentage and a 1.87 goals against average in his last seven starts. He’s been seriously hot since taking over for an injured Bachman on November 19th.

Whether Demko is going to make his NHL debut is anybody’s guess, for now at least, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he was just there to take in the scenery while Markstrom starts tonight and tomorrow in Washington.

The Canucks face Roberto Luongo and the Panthers at 4:00pm Pacific tonight.

Meanwhile, the Utica Comets, who are also playing today, have called up JP Anderson on loan from the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers, who will presumably back up Michael Garteig tonight against Syracuse.

To be fair to Garteig, he was only in the ECHL due to circumstance, and without the goaltending logjam in the Canucks organization, he would likely have been in the American League, so lumping him in as an “ECHL goalie” is a little unfair this early in his rookie professional season.

Garteig has made one start for the Comets, in which he allowed four goals on 35 shots. Granted, it was against the Toronto Marlies and the team was playing the second game of a back to back set. Garteig’s numbers in the ECHL have been strong this season (.926 save percentage, 2.39 goals-against average), and after a handful of dominant seasons in the NCAA, I’m confident that he’ll adjust to AHL competition soon enough.

The Comets play the Syracuse Crunch at home tonight at 4:00pm Pacific.