Thatcher Demko is pencilled in as the Vancouver Canucks鈥� goaltender of the future. Former Powell River Kings star Michael Garteig wants to scratch him out and write in his own name atop that crease prospects depth chart.
So Demko and Garteig, both signed to entry-level contracts by the Canucks, thought it was a misprint on the pairings list for the Shawnigan Lake School dorms. But here they are, roommates at the Canucks development camp this week on the Island.
鈥淚t鈥檚 funny. We鈥檝e had a chuckle about it,鈥� said Garteig, who played two seasons in the Island Division for the Kings before his final season in the sa国际传媒 Hockey League with the Penticton Vees.
But the arrangement has worked out.
鈥淲e鈥檙e both goalies and we鈥檙e both nerds,鈥� said Garteig, with a smile.
鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting for both of us to room together. We鈥檝e gotten to know each other.鈥�
Yet, remain ever competitive.
鈥淚 beat him in ping pong,鈥� said Garteig, a 24-year-old from Prince George, twice named BCHL goaltender of the year, once with Powell River and once with Penticton.
The two have a history that predates their roommate status at Shawnigan Lake School.
鈥淚 was not too fond of [Garteig] before,鈥� said Demko, in mock disdain.
Demko admits it did hurt deeply when Garteig and Quinnipiac University defeated Demko and Boston College 3-2 in the semifinals of the 2016 NCAA Frozen Four this spring in Tampa Bay.
Garteig and Quinnipiac went on to lose 5-1 in the championship game to North Dakota, which was led by 2015 Canucks first-round draft pick Brock Boeser, a winger who is also in camp this week at Shawnigan Lake School and firing pucks at Garteig and Demko.
鈥淭he last few days with [Garteig] have been great and we have a good relationship and are really good friends,鈥� said Demko, who will turn pro with the Canucks鈥� AHL affiliate in Utica, New York, and not return for his senior season at Boston College.
Even though there can only be one goaltender of the future for the Canucks and both want that role.
Both have outstanding numbers to support their cases. The six-foot-four San Diego-native Demko has twice been the U.S. goaltender at the world junior championship. His 2015-16 junior season was simply spectacular with a 1.88 goals-against average, .935 save percentage and 10 shutouts to break Cory Schneider鈥檚 Boston College record.
The six-foot-one, 190-pound Garteig was 78-25-16 with a 1.98 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in his 124-game NCAA career over four seasons at Quinnipiac.
If both their stats can translate to the pros, the Canucks look to be set in goal for the long term, maybe even as a 1-2 combo.
鈥淭here are not too many goalie prospects [in the Canucks organization],鈥� added Demko.
鈥淏ut you can鈥檛 predict what is going to happen. I want to progress as quickly as possible. I had a good season last year but college to pro is a big step. It鈥檚 not going to happen overnight. It鈥檚 tough to rush it.鈥�
Garteig realizes the hype is more about the 20-year-old Demko. But he vows not to give an inch in this crease battle. Garteig is, after all, a product of Kent Lewis in Powell River, whom Garteig describes as 鈥渁 great coach who preaches hard work.鈥�
Those attributes will be needed at Shawnigan Lake this week and beyond.
鈥淚鈥檓 not here just to be here,鈥� said Garteig.
鈥淚 am here to play for the Vancouver Canucks.鈥�
He admits that would be especially sweet for a sa国际传媒 guy.
But nobody is getting ahead of themselves.
鈥淭his is just the first phase,鈥� said Garteig.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about being a pro now. We are no longer college guys. This is our job now.鈥�
The same goes for his roommate.
The Canucks development camp, featuring 33 players, continues at Shawnigan Lake School with on-ice sessions today from 9:15 a.m. to noon. On Thursday, it鈥檚 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., with a 5 p.m. scrimmage.
All sessions are open to the public.
