The LA Kings Need To Trade For Thatcher Demko
The Vancouver Canucks teardown has begun. After the trade of Bo Horvat, who else will Vancouver ship out of town? I don’t know if anyone else is seeing what I’m seeing but the LA Kings need a goalie and they may as well do some shopping in Vancouver just as the Islanders just did. Thatcher Demko is absolutely perfect for the LA Kings and they need to get a trade done ASAP.
Pheonix Copley has been a revaluation for LA but how long is it going to last? We’re talking about a 31 one year old guy that started the season in the AHL. There’s no real track record of NHL success prior to this season. On the season Copley is 15-3-1. However, the former St. Louis and Washington net minder is sporting a -4.7 GSAA and .897 SV%. Are you really confident handing the keys to Copley in a playoff series? I don’t know how you could be.
Jonathan Quick has totally fallen off a cliff. Quick’s numbers are even worse (-18 GSAA & .881 SV% in 27 games. Cal Petersen got put on waivers and there’s no indication the club plans to promote him back to the NHL level. In ten games prior to the demotion, Petersen notched a SV% of .868.
Are you starting to notice a trend? If your top three goalies all have under a .900 save percentage, that’s probably a problem. Somehow the Kings are still very much in the mix. Los Angeles sits in 2nd in the Pacific but it’s a bit misleading. The Kings have played three more games than the Flames and are just six points ahead. A Flames team that wouldn’t make the playoffs if the season ended today. LA also has a negative ten goal differential on the season. If they don’t get this issue solved, the Kings will find themselves in the pretender aisle really quickly.
Demko is perfect for this Kings team. The Canucks goalie is a California guy from San Diego. You would think this would be a perfect spot for a guy that’s probably tired of dealing with the media in Vancouver given all the drama surrounding the Canucks. Demko hasn’t had a great season but it’s more so a product of terrible defense in Vancouver and a whole lot of dysfunction. In 2020 and 2021 Demko sported a .915 SV% in back to back seasons. If the Kings could get that type of production in net? The Kings become very dangerous.
According to Pierre LeBrun on TSN’s recent Insider Trading, the Kings have shown no interest in trading for rental goalies. Antii Raanta and Cam Talbot don’t interest the Kings. Los Angeles wants to find a long term solution to the position. If you’re going to cash in the chips for a goalie, then it’s time to give the Canucks a call.
It’s a trade that makes too much sense not to happen. Demko is currently out but is expected to return soon. Trading a guy like Demko would allow the Canucks to actually rebuild the right way. His down year and cost-controlled contract make it more feasible that a deal can be worked out. After trading Horvat it’s time to keep the fire sale going and Demko frankly makes the most sense to trade. Demko, 27, carries a $5 million AAV for the next three years after this one. The Canucks can command a great return and the Kings are desperate enough to buck up for a goalie. Call it into the league office already.
