[Discussion] Because everyone in Vancouver LOVES a goaltending controversy

[VegasCanuck]

Is it time to let Silovs take over in net and trade Demko?

 

I'm not completely sold on this from either standpoint. I am a little concerned about Demko's knee after being gone for 6 weeks and then reinjuring the same knee after 3 or 4 games.

 

Demko is signed for another 2 years at 5 million and doesn't have any trade protection. Silovs needs to be resigned this season as a RFA and could probably be signed for about 1 million on a 1 way, 2 year, show me deal, I think this is about where he signs regardless. DeSmith or a similar goalie, we could probably get for about 1.5 to load balance against. That would free up about 3.5 million this summer. Math is (2.5 million Silovs and DeSmith combined vs Demko and Silovs at 6 million combined).

 

So, do you feel confident in Silovs under Clark's guidance to assume starting duties like Demko did after the bubble? When Demko went lights out in the bubble when Markstrom went down, he was more experienced that Silovs, but not that much more. He had played 37 games plus the 4 in the bubble before Markstrom walked and we anointed him the new Messiah of Vancouver goaltending.

 

Silovs has shown that he can play in the NHL and handle the pressure and he was MVP at the Worlds last year for Latvia posting .921 across 10 games for them.

 

If we were to do this, does that free up enough to resign Lindholm, Zadorov, Hronekand Joshua as well as make some other upgrades?

 

If we went to Utah and offered him there, I'm sure they want to make a splash this summer and they are loaded with picks and high end talent, what would they offer up for a Vezina nominated starter on a really team friendly contract?

 

Again, not 100% sold on either option, but I'm curious what everyone else thinks.

 

I'm sure other fans have thought about this and like the title of the thread says, EVERYONE in Vancouver LOVES a Goaltending controversy....

[Junkyard Dog]

He’s coming off an ELC and will likely be signing a cheap bridge deal. 
 

Management probably wants two good goalies if these playoffs and regular season have proven anything. Injuries happen. 

 

We are still years away from it being an issue. 
 

You don’t need to force anything with goalies. Let it happen over time. 

[HKSR]

3 minutes ago, Junkyard Dog said:

He’s coming off an ELC and will likely be signing a cheap bridge deal. 
 

Management probably wants two good goalies if these playoffs and regular season have proven anything. Injuries happen. 

 

We are still years away from it being an issue. 
 

You don’t need to force anything with goalies. Let it happen over time. 

I wouldn't say "years".  Demko's current contract is up in 2 years.  He will be 30 years old.  Silovs will be 25 years old.  A 2 year contract for Silovs would be REALLY smart IMO.

[King Heffy]

These playoffs have shown just how important it is to have 2 goalies that can win.  Edmonton would probably be up in this series if they had even one goalie who belonged in the NHL.

[VegasCanuck]

2 minutes ago, King Heffy said:

These playoffs have shown just how important it is to have 2 goalies that can win.  Edmonton would probably be up in this series if they had even one goalie who belonged in the NHL.

Agree completely. I voted yes because, there are always good backups around the league and we do have the best goalie coach in the world.

 

Demko's knee scares me a little long term, for me, that might be tipping the scale a little on whether it's time to let him go this summer. His value coming off the season he put up would be significant on the trade market, potentially snagging a top 15 pick as well as another good goalie prospect.

 

A lot will depend on whether Demko comes back and if we go really deep, like to the finals and Silovs is still carrying us.

 

DeSmith is a capable backup as he proved all season and is able to carry the work load when needed.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

1 minute ago, HKSR said:

I wouldn't say "years".  Demko's current contract is up in 2 years.  He will be 30 years old.  Silovs will be 25 years old.  A 2 year contract for Silovs would be REALLY smart IMO.

Still years. But regardless of however which way you state it. It isn’t an issue we need to act on now but rather just benefit from it. 
 

Having 2 good goalies is a nice luxury during the regular season and playoffs. Could help get into or improve your standings in the playoffs and can be the difference of winning a round. We’ve already have seen that. 
 

Also a lot can happen in two years. It can help you make a much more clear decision when time comes to make it. 

[HKSR]

What if... just what if miraculously Silovs carries us to the finals or even wins the Cup.  Far fetched, absolutely, but what if it happens? 

 

Do we make him the backup next year? 

 

The other school of thought might be to then trade Demko and really bolster our defence group so Silovs has an even better core in front of him which could potentially make us an even better team overall.

 

To NJD:

Demko+

 

To VAN:

Holtz

Haula

Marino

 

This roster might be stronger than this year?

 

Suter-Miller-Boeser

Holtz-Lindholm-Petey

Joshua-Haula-Garland

Hoglander-Suter-Podkolzin

 

Hughes-Hronek

Zadorov-Marino

Soucy-Myers

Juulsen

[NHLer]

haha it always seems like we're trading our stud American goalies to NJD (who always seem to need a stud goalie post-Brodeur) 

[Jess]

There's no controversy IMO. Silovs will be cheaper than DeSmith, is younger, and is probably at least as good. He's the backup next year.

 

I think it would be madness to trade Demko. Vezina-calibre goaltenders don't grow on trees. Ask the Oilers. Silovs is good, but I think at best, he's a 1B level goalie right now. Maybe he develops into a solid starter, but that's betting on a lot to trade a superstar like Demko.

[Bob Long]

Its been amazing to watch Silovs rise to the occasion, but Demko is at his peak. We're incredibly lucky to have both of them.

 

What could be possible now is, maybe playing Demko for 50 starts and Silovs 32 next season, to make sure everyone stays healthy. 

[grumpyone]

Keep Demko and Silovs next year, but even out the games played, closer to 47-35 +/- due to injuries. 

With no trade protection, you can always deal Demko at the deadline if need be.

Possibly trade DeSmith at the draft for a 7th rounder, or his rights that is. 

[112]

Silovs has been good but not game-breaking. Meanwhile Demko is a proven elite goaltender. I like Silovs as much as the next fan, but I say we should play it safe and keep both of them for the time being.

[Shift-4]

Start Skinner again

 

Oh wait, wrong controversy  

 

[Elias Pettersson]

55 minutes ago, Junkyard Dog said:

Still years. But regardless of however which way you state it. It isn’t an issue we need to act on now but rather just benefit from it. 
 

Having 2 good goalies is a nice luxury during the regular season and playoffs. Could help get into or improve your standings in the playoffs and can be the difference of winning a round. We’ve already have seen that. 
 

Also a lot can happen in two years. It can help you make a much more clear decision when time comes to make it. 

 

No, it's not years.  It's literally one year.  Summer 2025 is when the decision will need to be made to either extend Demko for 8 years or to trade him.  Allvin is not going to wait until the middle of the 2025 season to make a decision to trade his starting goalie.  

 

IMO, we don't need to sign Demko to an 8.5x8 extension.  He is too injury prone and I would never sign him to an 8 year extension which is what he will want.  We have our future goalie in Silovs.  And just like the OP said, we anointed Demko the starter with only 37 games experience, and also Demko had only played 4 playoff games up untl that point.  Silovs is already at 8 playoff games and counting.  He is the real deal.

[Elias Pettersson]

52 minutes ago, HKSR said:

What if... just what if miraculously Silovs carries us to the finals or even wins the Cup.  Far fetched, absolutely, but what if it happens? 

 

Do we make him the backup next year? 

 

The other school of thought might be to then trade Demko and really bolster our defence group so Silovs has an even better core in front of him which could potentially make us an even better team overall.

 

To NJD:

Demko+

 

To VAN:

Holtz

Haula

Marino

 

This roster might be stronger than this year?

 

Suter-Miller-Boeser

Holtz-Lindholm-Petey

Joshua-Haula-Garland

Hoglander-Suter-Podkolzin

 

Hughes-Hronek

Zadorov-Marino

Soucy-Myers

Juulsen

 

If we win the Cup with Silovs, of course we are trading Demko, like it's not even a question.  Silovs would be the next Ken Dryden.  He would most likely win the Conn Smythe trophy if we win the Cup.  Trade Demko for a top 4 RHD or a power forward.  I don't like Holtz or Haula.  Demko for Nemec.  Or Demko for Lawson Crouse.  Or Demko for David Jiricek...

Edited May 17 by Elias Pettersson

[Bobby James]

No it is too early to make this type of move. 

 

Sign Silvos to a 2 year bridge and get him into a good number of games next season as the backup. 

 

If Silvos looks to be starter level then Canucks can send out Demko before his contract is up and grab a couple assets back. 

[Junkyard Dog]

2 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

No, it's not years.  It's literally one year.  Summer 2025 is when the decision will need to be made to either extend Demko for 8 years or to trade him.  Allvin is not going to wait until the middle of the 2025 season to make a decision to trade his starting goalie.  

 

IMO, we don't need to sign Demko to an 8.5x8 extension.  He is too injury prone and I would never sign him to an 8 year extension which is what he will want.  We have our future goalie in Silovs.  And just like the OP said, we anointed Demko the starter with only 37 games experience, and also Demko had only played 4 playoff games up untl that point.  Silovs is already at 8 playoff games and counting.  He is the real deal.

I don’t see them rushing any decisions.

 

This year has shown you need two good goalies.

[Heretic]

5 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

If we win the Cup with Silovs, of course we are trading Demko, like it's not even a question.  Silovs would be the next Ken Dryden.  He would most likely win the Conn Smythe trophy if we win the Cup.  Trade Demko for a top 4 RHD or a power forward.  I don't like Holtz or Haula.  Demko for Nemec.  Or Demko for Lawson Crouse.  Or Demko for David Jiricek...

Ha!

Ken Dryden was my hero growing up - I thought this same thing after we won with him the 1st time.

[Elias Pettersson]

13 minutes ago, Junkyard Dog said:

I don’t see them rushing any decisions.

 

This year has shown you need two good goalies.

 

They won't be rushing.  They have all of next season to figure it out.  Summer of 2025 the decision will be made.  Unless of course Allvin gets an offer for Demko that he can't refuse.  I agree we need two good goalies.  We can get an experienced vet via free agency to back up Silovs, or we can acquire a 1B goalie via a trade with Demko...

[HKSR]

22 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

If we win the Cup with Silovs, of course we are trading Demko, like it's not even a question.  Silovs would be the next Ken Dryden.  He would most likely win the Conn Smythe trophy if we win the Cup.  Trade Demko for a top 4 RHD or a power forward.  I don't like Holtz or Haula.  Demko for Nemec.  Or Demko for Lawson Crouse.  Or Demko for David Jiricek...

What if we make it to Game 7 of the finals?

[Junkyard Dog]

2 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

They won't be rushing.  They have all of next season to figure it out.  Summer of 2025 the decision will be made.  Unless of course Allvin gets an offer for Demko that he can't refuse.  I agree we need two good goalies.  We can get an experienced vet via free agency to back up Silovs, or we can acquire a 1B goalie via a trade with Demko...

 

I would rather have Demko walk in FA if Silovs can undoubtedly prove capable of replacing him in that time than rush into any decision with our goaltending. The only time you want to be rash with your goaltending is when you don’t have any. 
 

This is a decision that will change the rest of the way the 2020s will go for us. So yeah I am gonna all the time in figuring out what is the best most clear cut decision to make is and I don’t care about sacrificing assets if it comes to that. 
 

I don’t fuck around with goaltending. Impulsive decision making would be stupid when it comes to this. We can’t afford to make the wrong decision.

 

I can see trades happening mid-season too.  Teams always need goaltending and will likely pay more for a vezina calibre to gear up for the playoffs. So many teams are having G issues and there are never any good ones available. 

[Ghostsof1915]

34 minutes ago, Shift-4 said:

Start Skinner again

 

Oh wait, wrong controversy  

 

They are starting Campbell......

 

Let DeSmith walk.

Demko starter/Silovs back up.

 

[Elias Pettersson]

3 minutes ago, HKSR said:

What if we make it to Game 7 of the finals?

 

What happens in game 7?  Do we lose in OT?  Is it an 8-1 blowout?  Either way, it really doesn't matter.  If we make it to game 7 of the finals, then Silovs is the equivalent of Kirk McLean and Roberto Luongo...

[Elias Pettersson]

2 minutes ago, Junkyard Dog said:

 

I would rather have Demko walk in FA if Silovs can undoubtedly prove capable of replacing him in that time than rush into any decision with our goaltending. The only time you want to be rash with your goaltending is when you don’t have any. 
 

This is a decision that will change the rest of the way the 2020s will go for us. So yeah I am gonna all the time in figuring out what is the best most clear cut decision to make is and I don’t care about sacrificing assets if it comes to that. 
 

I don’t fuck around with goaltending. Impulsive decision making would be stupid when it comes to this. We can’t afford to make the wrong decision.

 

I can see trades happening mid-season too.  Teams always need goaltending and will likely pay more for a vezina calibre to gear up for the playoffs. So many teams are having G issues and there are never any good ones available. 

 

Jim Benning isn't the GM any longer.  So no, Allvin isn't going to let a Vezina trophy finalist walk for nothing.  That is literally insane.  We could get a top 15 pick for Demko plus a top prospect.  Lawson Crouse, Simon Nemec, David Jiricek.  The list goes on...

[Junkyard Dog]

11 minutes ago, Elias Pettersson said:

 

Jim Benning isn't the GM any longer.  So no, Allvin isn't going to let a Vezina trophy finalist walk for nothing.  That is literally insane.  We could get a top 15 pick for Demko plus a top prospect.  Lawson Crouse, Simon Nemec, David Jiricek.  The list goes on...

I could see him do just that considering we are actually in the playoff picture now. Even wait till that TD to make a choice.  Unless somehow someway Silovs is vezina-trophy finalist next year considering that is what he is gonna be replacing. 
 

You don’t fuck around with goaltending decisions. Take all the time in the world to make the right decision. 
 

You make the wrong choice it won’t matter what you got in assets. You’re just one of many teams with goaltending problems now that struggles to go far.