Demko or Martin? Early makings of Canucks goalie controversy emerge

Demko or Martin? Early makings of Canucks goalie controversy have emerged

Bob Frid/USA TODAY Sports

I’m not sure many people saw a goalie controversy brewing for the Vancouver Canucks this season, but here we are.

Who should start in net is now a debatable topic among Canucks fans, with plenty of disagreement on the answer.

There were even calls for Spencer Martin to start Sunday in San Jose, despite having played the night before in Las Vegas.

Thatcher Demko ended up getting the nod from head coach Bruce Boudreau against the Sharks, but Martin is expected to make his third start in four games tonight at Rogers Arena against the Washington Capitals.

It hasn’t reached Luongo-Schneider levels certainly, but Demko and Martin have shared the net rather evenly for more than a month, with the backup now earning more of the starts lately.

Martin was reportedly the first goalie off the ice at practice this morning, which is typically an indication that he’s expected to start in net tonight. It’ll be the third start in four games for Martin, despite the fact that Demko stopped 32 of 35 shots he faced in Sunday’s win against the Sharks.

Since October 27, Demko has started consecutive games just once. That’s in stark contrast to how the season began, with Demko starting seven of Vancouver’s first eight games as the team’s unquestioned No. 1 goalie.

After the morning skate, Boudreau told reporters that he’s planning on ramping up Demko’s usage gradually. But for now, he’s happy to ride the hot hand.

“It’ll gradually get back to where [Demko is] the guy if he continues to play the way he’s been playing,” Boudreau said. “But you can’t deny that Spencer’s been great every time, touch wood, that we’ve put him out there… You can’t just sit there and say because Demmer’s our number one guy, and our future, that we’re going to forget about the guy that’s gotten us into a pretty good position right now.”

To say this was unexpected would be an understatement. Demko was the Canucks’ MVP last season and even earned some Vezina Trophy consideration. Martin, by contrast, was an AHL journeyman, with just nine games of NHL experience in seven pro seasons coming into this year.

But Demko struggled in October, going 1-5-1. Martin, by contrast, posted a 1-0-1 record in his two October starts.

Martin has posted better numbers across the board than Demko this season, with a .907 save percentage, 3.12 goals-against average, and 6-1-1 record. Demko, by contrast, has a .855 save percentage, 3.81 goals-against average, and 3-9-2 record.

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What makes this situation so interesting is the fact that Demko hasn’t been obviously horrendous, and has yet to be pulled in any of his 14 starts.

Then there’s the fact that Martin’s save percentage and goals-against average aren’t exactly eye-popping. Among the 46 NHL goalies that have started at least eight games this season, Martin ranks 22nd in save percentage and 35th in goals-against average.

A big reason for Martin’s sparkling record has been the goal support from his teammates. The Canucks have scored 4.75 goals per game in games that Martin has played and just 2.71 goals per game when Demko is in net.

In the month of November, Demko and Martin have been comparable in terms of save percentage (.900 for Martin, .895 for Demko) and goals-against average (3.35 for Martin, 3.56 for Demko). Martin, however, has posted the better record this month, going 5-1-0, compared to Demko’s record of 2-4-1.

The Canucks will need Demko to find his game if they have hopes of returning to the playoffs, but Martin has earned more of the net. That’s not necessarily a bad thing in the short term, but this could get awkward — or dare I say controversial — if it continues for much longer.