The next generation in goal for the Vancouver Canucks has finally arrived and based on his ability to forecast his future, he might just be the team's goaltender of the future.
When the Canucks traded Anders Nilsson to Ottawa in early January, it meant that prized prospect Thatcher Demko would finally get the chance to make the jump from the AHL level up to the big club on a full-time basis.
Demko is now up with the Canucks for the foreseeable future, barring any unforeseen injury or if he struggles to adjust to the level of the play.
With the promotion, Demko can check off a box in his notebook he keeps of the goals he set throughout his hockey career. Speaking with Kevin Woodley of InGoal magazine and NHL.com on the InGoal podcast, Demko went into detail about the book he started as a 13-year-old. In the interview, the now 23-year-old explains how he had one-year, three-year, five-year and ten-year goals written out about how his career would progress.
You can listen to the full interview below.
"It was almost a timeline of my entire career," Demko revealed to Woodley.
Demko outlined his path from playing AAA, to playing in the USHL for the Omaha Lancers and then starting at Boston College in his sophomore season. Growing up in San Diego, Demko admitted he didn't really know what the ins and outs of the AHL, but you can all but guarantee he continued to add to his goals as they started to come to fruition.
It was at a recent dinner over the summer where Demko's mother sent him a photo of all his objectives where it hit him that his goal-setting essentially came to existence.
How fascinating is it that at that age Demko not only put pen to paper on his goal, but actually achieved them? That mindset right there undoubtedly played a huge factor in Demko progressing as a teenager up to the professional ranks.
The Utica Comet won his first start of the season by making 36 saves in the Canucks 4-3 victory over the Sabres on January 16th after winning his first game in goal at the end of the 2017/18 season over the Columbus Blue Jackets
He's the only rookie goaltender in Canucks history to ever win his first two games.
With World Junior standout Michael DiPietro joining Demko in the pipeline, the Canucks appear to set in goal, much like Demko was able to set and then attain his goals ten years ago.
