Photo by RICHARD LAM / PNG

BEST STORY

Despite a debilitating travel schedule which would have wiped out a lesser man and a near-complete late-game collapse which would have tested the confidence of a Norse god, Thatcher Demko rolled out one of the most casually comfortable post-game press conferences of the season.

He was sharp, humble, witty and, more than anything, the man was happy.

He had every right to be.

It’s hardly a secret, but he had spent much of this season hoping for what he got today.

An NHL start.

“It wasn’t coming from an ego standpoint,” Demko said.

“I didn’t want to do it just to say I did it.

“I wanted to get up here to take in the details I could and to get the feeling of the speed of the game.

“I wanted to take this experience into the summer.

“There’s a different type of skill level here.

“Guys are able to make plays out of nothing.”

And guys did just that several times, but this part of the story can wait.

Because what matters most is not what happened in today’s game, but what it means for Demko’s development and what impact it will have on his future and how he approaches his summer training.

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You could feel the ache he had for the opportunity when asked if there was benefit to be gained from seeing and feeling what life is like in the NHL.

“Oh man, so much,” Demko said. “It would have been hard coming into camp with the only NHL experience I’ve had being preseason experience.

“I played one full game in Calgary this past preseason. It’s such a different game.

“I am going to go back, watch film and relish in all of these feelings while honing in on the things I can work on this summer to make sure I’m ready.”

A few weeks ago, Demko, and many of the rest of us, had conceded this moment wasn’t likely to happen before the curtain closed on the Canucks’ season.

“I had discussions with my agent about it throughout the year,” Demko said. “I got to the point where I just let go of it.

“There was a few times during the year I was thinking about it.

“But part of the maturity process is realizing when there’s nothing you can do to change something.

“They are either going to call you up or they’re not.

“It honestly hadn’t crossed my mind in a few weeks.”

There is a grace and maturity which oozes from Demko’s aura.

There may be goalie prospects whose skill suggests they have higher upside, and some believe the guy who started for Columbus is one.

But if there are any who have Demko’s clarity and poise, there sure aren’t many of them.

BEST EXCHANGE

The Demko presser was among the best a Canuck has had in recent memory following an NHL debut.

What about that first Atkinson shot which whizzed over your shoulder and hit the crossbar?

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“Yeah, they did hit a few posts tonight. I think the posts are bigger here than they are in the AHL.”

At least you were smiling.

“Even when they scored on three consecutive shots, or whatever it was at the end, I was still smiling.

“The guys played a really good game tonight.”

What do you take out of this game?

“A lot. It’s my first time here and seeing the differences the American League has compared to the NHL.”

What about you and Atkinson going back and forth?

“I train with him in the summer. We skate together. He scores a lot on me in the summer. He was giving me a hard time, telling me to keep my glove up.

“Of course, that first shot of the game …”

Yes, keep that glove up indeed.

“But I was happy I stoned him on the 2-on-1.”

Yeah, you did.

Did it actually help that it was a matinee start and you didn’t have to dwell on this all day?

“To be honest, with the time change and the hour I got in last night, I had no idea what time it was.

“My body was just pretty confused all around.

“It was almost a good thing. I was almost too tired to be nervous.”

Almost, you say.

Did you hear the Demko chants?

“Yes, I did. Those were pretty good. Usually, it’s Go Canucks Go.

“Some of those guys in the top section were chanting my name. It was cool to have some of the fans cheering for me.”

Can you appreciate the fan base knows who you are and what you mean to the organization?

“Absolutely.

“I get it from a distance on social media when I’m down in Utica.

“The fan base is great. They’re being patient and they understand we have a lot of guys in the pipeline and we’re developing a youth movement.”

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Was it an emotional roller coaster of a game?

“I wasn’t really thinking how much time was left, but it’s obviously a great league and I know there are great players on the other team who aren’t going to give up, and they showed that.”

What did you learn?

“A lot. It’s a lot faster. Pucks are moving quicker. Guys are making plays. One of the big things I’ll be working on is making reads a little quicker, realizing potential threats away from the puck quicker.

“Just a lot of stuff I’m excited I was able to realize.”

BEST CALM DOWN

Through two periods, the Jackets think they only had 8-9 scoring chances and they hit three posts.

BEST GET JACKED

You see that save on Atkinson?

BEST DECISION

If I could paraphrase Green’s decision to start Demko, it went something like this:

“F it.”

Nilsson was sick or forgotten or whatever and Markstrom is dead tired, while also dealing with a couple of nagging lower-body issues.

Green, and the Canucks, had spent much of this season debating the “should we or shouldn’t we” when it comes to Demko.

The coach had a solid understanding of both sides and I don’t think he was ever definitively in one camp.

Maybe he was, but that’s my read.

Sometimes the best decisions happen when you just go with your gut, and after all the meetings about this, that’s exactly what Green did.

BEST CAN’T LOSE FOR TRYING

The Canucks have shut down several players who would be playing if this were the playoffs.

They started a rookie goalie who flew across the country and arrived last night. They had Goldobin on their first line.

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They are starting a rookie defender and pairing him with Biega.

MDZ is playing nearly 21 minutes.

Gaunce is getting scratched for Jussi Jokinen.

And …

The Canucks still can’t lose.

BEST BACK PATTING

Guess who is producing just like Vanek was on this team?

BEST REMEMBER WHEN?

The Canucks collapsed down the stretch last year and had a really good start.

So what were you saying about carryover?

BEST REACTIONS

Yes, Jokinen has eight points in 11 games.

BEST PICK ME UP

This went down around the time of the trade.

Jussi: “I was texting Teemu Selanne and he was giving me some kind words.

“He was telling me to stick with it.

“He was telling me I was still a good player and he was hoping I would get a chance.

“That’s probably one of the best two players in Finland ever.

“It was huge.”

BEST GUESS

Guess who circled the wagons and has been showing off a lot of 1-4 since Nobody pointed out how difficult it is for the Canucks to win playing aggressively?

This team:

You know what opponents have been saying a lot of after games recently?

This:

Torts: “I thought Vancouver played with great structure tonight .

“We had a tough time getting in the middle of the ice there.”

Now, does this success mean even less if it’s not going to be the way they play when they’re healthy again?

BEST ANSWER

You know who is not surprised?

Jussi.

“Hey, I had 60 points two years ago.

“I know last year was hard for me but I was battling through injuries. I didn’t have a good year and that was disappointing.”

“Most of my career I’ve been a 50-point player, but when you’re fourth line playing 10 minutes a game and not on the power play, you can’t expect to get to 50 points.”

Hello, Columbus.

“I still feel like I can make all the plays. I still feel like I can keep up.

“People have been saying for 13 years I was too slow to play in this league.

“My game isn’t about skating. It’s about making plays.

“We’ll see what happens in the summer and what contracts are offered.

“I like it here.

“Hopefully, it’s here.”

BEST POLL

BEST MAKES YOU THINK

BEST RACE

BEST REMINDER

Dahlen’s team is down 3-1 in a best-of-seven series and could be eliminated as soon as Monday.

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The Canucks have been saving their one remaining recall and it would make sense if they have been saving it to get Dahlen to Vancouver.

Dahlen would need to be assigned to Utica first, and this process could start happening early next week if his team loses.

One of the stories out there said he’s up to 185 pounds.

BEST JERSEY

BEST ECHO

It’s been days since Sutter coughed up his take on tanking.

Fans are still bristling.

The background?

Sutter has had an incredibly disappointing season.

Playing in a two-way, matchup role, he spent the season on one side of the ice.

I keep hearing people saying he doesn’t need to produce. Any centre playing 17 minutes a game needs to produce.

The Canucks have no chance of turning this around if they have a centre playing 17 mins a game who doesn’t need to produce.

Most of this has flown under the radar. Funny, how that tends to end when it’s perceived you’ve called out the fans.

And that’s the way many took it when Sutter said this when asked about fans who would like their beloved team to tank for draft lottery odds.

Now, he does certainly suggest those who want the team to lose for a better pick are not “true fans,” which, if he meant it, is absurd.

You know what true fans enjoy watching?

A $4.3-million centre who gets to 30 points.

You know what fans enjoy watching?

A shutdown centre who isn’t on the ice for all four goals against.

You do things like that, you’re not really in a position to be taking on fans and deciding who are the real ones.

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BEST REALITY

You may not think Sutter is effective, but the coach sure does.

BIGGEST COLLAPSE

Several blamed it on a late line change.

There wasn’t one.

This was the lead-up:

BIGGEST DUDE

Those shades tho.

BEST HIT

This was a crusher JV18 put on Cole and it led directly to the penalty Cole took when he took out his frustration on Sutter.

BEST COMBO

I like the possibilities of JV18 playing with Gaudette.

It gives each of the young horses someone to run with.

This play that Gaudette creates out of nothing is a nod to what he is capable of.

“I picked the puck off of a back-check,” Gaudette said.

“Jake was in the exact right spot and we got a give-and-go going.

“It’s nice when you play with these guys and you know they’re going to find you.

“You have to be a little quicker and faster and that’s the difference from the last level I was playing at.

“I was trying to get open and all of a sudden I had Boucher there.”

One thing for certain, Gaudette is not having a problem with the speed of the game.

While the Sedins were getting their heads kicked for most of the game, Gaudette was using his skating to back-check and steal pucks.

This close was something else and he uses that quickness to snatch a puck from a player who had no idea Gaudette would be on him this quickly.

“In the D-zone as the down-low forward you just have to be quicker, and I’m adjusting better than I thought.”

BEST NEXT BIG QUESTION

How effective are the Canucks in developing players?

With four amateur drafts down and a fifth coming up for this management, the question will be among the most important moving forward.

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If you believe Boeser arrived as a finished, ready-for-primetime product, and it did look like it when he landed, then who are the young players the Canucks have developed so far?

You saw one in Demko today.

And we’ve been watching JV18 all season. When drafted, the Canucks admitted JV18 was going to be a project, preaching patience for his long-term development.

Since, there have been questions about attitude, a stint in Utica where he worked his ass off, and a good offseason where he trained diligently, picking up from where he left off in Utica.

Talk to anyone around him and they’ll report really positive changes.

Hell, watch him play and in moments you’ll be convinced he’s made big strides.

Now that we’re at the end of the year, however, it should make for an interesting study to see where he is now and where he was then, as a rookie when so many thought he was underwater.

The results are pretty fascinating.

You remember that rookie season, and plenty still argue he was rushed into the NHL as a teenager.

Many remember a confused young player who was overwhelmed with life in the NHL off the ice and overmatched by players on the ice.

That’s not exactly h0w it went down, but hey, perception is a helluva drug.

What’s wild is that this season is almost identical in every way to his first season two years ago.

Is JV18 better today than he was two years ago?

It feels like it.

But in the areas he needs to improve, like using linemates and seeing the ice, there isn’t the data to suggest he’s made any gains at all.

What you see maybe is what you get.

Or, in other words, is he the same player he was as a rookie?