Demko trumpets new flexibility
PROSPECTS CAMP: 19-year-old Canucks hopeful undergoes successful hip surgery
TSHAWNIGAN LAKE hatcher Demko feels like a new man after double-hip labrum surgery has taken away the increasing pain he’s suffered since he was 15.
That’s excellent news for Demko, the Canucks’ Grade-A goaltending prospect, and maybe better news for the NHL club if the increased hip mobility he now possesses gets him to the bigs sooner than later.
The San Diego native is just 19, but more and more goalies are having the surgery to repair — or allow them to avoid — the injuries the butterfly style can cause — and better execute the kind of leg movements the body really wasn’t designed for.
Call it the Tommy John surgery of goaltenders.
Demko, chosen 36th overall by the Canucks in the 2014 draft, had the surgery 11 weeks ago, on April 20, performed by well-known surgeon Dr. Bryan Kelly in New York.
“It should be good forever now,” a beaming Demko said Monday at the Shawnigan Lake School rink, where the Canucks are holding their annual prospects development camp.
“I had zero degrees of internal (hip) rotation before last season, and two weeks after the operation I was already at 20 degrees. It was almost immediate. They stitched up the labrum and then shaped the (femur) head itself so it never happens again.” So, good as new? “Way better than new,” said the 6-foot-4, 190-pounder, who seems as comfortable holding court with reporters as he is making saves.
“This will be the healthiest I’ve been, ever. I can’t even explain it. I’ve just been looking forward to the day when I can play pain-free. I’m excited to get some gear on and see what it’s like.”
Demko isn’t taking part in any of the on-ice activities, but his rehab timeline is to get back on the ice in full goalie pads July 27. Four weeks later, his Boston College team will hit the ice for pre-season practices, and he expects to be ready.
Demko first noticed the discomfort in his hips at 15, when he was playing for Omaha of the USHL in 2011-12.
“Then I got the X-rays and the diagnosis when I was 16 that summer,” he said. “It started as an impingement and then became a tear, bone rubbing, which leads to ligament damage. I would get MRAs once in a while to make sure the cartilage was still intact. Just making sure I wasn’t doing any extra damage for when the operation comes around.”
It took a lot of management of the condition for Demko to get through this past season at Boston College.
“I don’t want to get into details, but it wasn’t super-comfortable,” said Demko. “It took a little more preparation than it usually did. I would usually practise three times a week, instead of four, to make sure I had enough for the weekend. But the training staff was unbelievable.”
Demko didn’t really need to come to the prospects camp, as he’s not able to go on the ice and is only cleared to do upper bodywork here. He also had to pay his own way, to respect NCAA rules.
“I’m proud to be a part of the organization and I have a lot of good friends here, just from last summer at the development camp,” he said. “I’m great friends with guys like (Jared) McCann, (Cole) Cassels, (Jake) Virtanen and (Jordan) Subban. McCann came to stay at my house (in San Diego) last summer after the camp and we hung out at the beach.
“It’s (the camp) only a week, but you create these relationships very quickly. It was important to me, to make sure I came up and saw these guys. Also, I wanted to show the organization that I’m committed to getting back to healthy as soon as possible.”
Demko’s timeline to get to the NHL is fuzzy and depends on his progress year to year.
Last season, his second at Boston College, he didn’t get much goal support, but still improved his save percentage from .919 to .925. He’ll be back for his third season at B.C. to showcase his new-found hip flexibility.
Canucks general manager Jim Benning said Monday he’d like to see Demko turn pro after next season.
“We have our plan, but part of it is going to be up to him,” said Benning. “In a perfect world, we’d like him to play next year at B.C., and then turn pro and see where he’s at. He’s going to need some time in the American League. We don’t want to rush him.
“We think he’s got the ability to be a No. 1 goalie for us at some point. We’re going to develop him properly, and whenever he’s ready to play, that’s when he’ll get an opportunity.”
NOTES: Winger Virtanen left the ice early during the morning practice after being clipped by a stick, but said afterward he’s fine ... Centre Cassels won’t be doing on-ice work as he’s rehabbing an abdominal injury he played through during the second half of last season.