If there's one position the United States will never have to sweat during major international competitions for the foreseeable future, it's goaltender. Vancouver's Thatcher Demko has reminded us all of just how good he is this season.
To be fair to Demko, however, he's been outstanding since he returned form injury last season. That may have also coincided with Rick Tocchet taking over the Canucks and the team riding a rocket into the stratosphere from there, but Demko is making all of it stand up.
For his career, Demko has a .912 save percentage, and this season he's returned to his more normal level of play with a .917 mark. When he returned from injury last February, after having an absolutely miserable first half of the year, from that point on until the end of the season he had a .918 mark.
Demko's been a steadily very good goalie for most of his career, but he's playing at an elite level now. He's on pace to have a career-best season this year and among American goalies he's been one of the best to do it and have the track record of excellent play to go with it.
