All eyes on Sundin but more should be on futile Demitra *UPDATE* Demo-tion

All eyes on Sundin but more should be on futile Demitra UPDATE Demo-tion

by Sean Zandberg on Jan 12, 2009 12:00 PM PST Comment 8 comments

It's true. Sundin is the Saviour of the town right now and everyone is watching him get back into game shape with a microscope.
Meanwhile there is a $4 million star player on our roster who is underachieving. Pavol Demitra has shown signs of becoming an offensive force in Vancouver only to completely disappear games later.
First off, let me go back in time to November 16, 2008. I had been hating on Demitra, well not only my whole life, but even more when Mike Gillis signed him. I didn't like how injury prone he was and I questioned his desire and passion for the game. At that time Demitra had just returned to action after missing a few weeks with a rib injury. So my anger towards his fragiliy had heightened. One blogger who I shall not name had been giving me a hard time about my Demo-bashing. So I made an oath to him when Pavol returned:

Ah man, Demitra is synonymous (sp) with *unnamed blogger*. It was great to see him break out with 3 assists in his return. But no worship from me. You see, on 2 of those points it was Wellwood that was starting or finishing the plays. So Woody made him look good. haha
If Demitra stays healthy for minimum 20 consecutive games and puts up 18+ points in that span starting NOW, then I will put him in the header on this site for 2 weeks. Each day of those 2 weeks I will post one nice thing about Pavol. Only him. And it would suck to have to do that....

I had forgotten about that promise. Pavol has played in 28 straight games since returning from that rib injury.
In the 20 games he played after his return, he scored 8 goals and 7 assists for 15 points. Alas, Demitra never deserved to be in the Waiting For Stanley header. In the 28 games since his return, Demo has 10 goals and 10 assists, along with 67 shots on goal. Huh. Semi-impressive.
If you look at his stats game by game, you can see just how inconsistent he really is.
For the Canucks he has .676 points per game.
Last season with the Wild he had .794 points per game.
2 seasons ago with the Wild he had .901 points per game.
With the Kings in 2005-06 he scored 1.07 points per game.

I see a trend here. More like a downward spiral. Demitra didn't want to play under Jacques Lemaire's tight defence regime in Minny. Mike Gillis convinces him to play here (and we were his first choice), yet his production fails under a less defensive structure.
He has a hell of a shot. I seen him rifling pucks at the net several times against the Sharks. But they missed the net.
All this talk about Sundin failing us yet we fail to see a player that has already been with us since training camp failing as a Canucks forward by: drifting, floating, being perimeter, and not scoring most of the time.
It's time for Demitra to pick up the pace. Until then he is Doghouse Demitra. He is not making me forget Naslund. In fact, I think Naslund may have been better in his last season here. At least he back checked!

**UPDATE**

According to the Team 1040 today, Demitra was practicing on the 4th line with Hordichuk and Johnson. Good to see Vigneault is staying true to his word that the players who are performing well will get the minutes.
Sundin was practicing on a line with Raymond and ......Taylor Pyatt. Good! I know Pyatt can be a pylon, but Mats will be better off with more size on his line 5 on 5.

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I see a trend here. More like a downward spiral.

*Nods in agreement*

Things have to get better though, right? I mean, this is as low as we've been all year, and we're supposed to be getting healthy soon.

by Temujin on Jan 12, 2009 2:46 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah. This team is on the verge of kicking ass.
See what I just added to the post? Demitra demoted to the 4th line. Hahaa. AV is such a meanie..and I like it. He shouldn't show favortism to anyone, including Demo. Pavol has had plenty of chances to play big minutes and get points but he is failing.

by Sean Zandberg on Jan 12, 2009 2:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

To be a bit positive, if this is a low point that we are 1 game below 500 without Luongo in net, I'd say that's not such a bad low. Could be a lot worse.

by Sean Zandberg on Jan 12, 2009 3:48 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

"He shouldn't show favortism to anyone"

Good, soon this will apply to Matty boy. And our fourth line will be Sundin/Hordichuk/Demitra. Good times.

by Mike on Jan 12, 2009 5:10 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Nah, Hordi has been playing well. The fourth line will be Pyatt-Sundin-Demitra.

The second line will be Brown-Wellwood-Hordichuk

Heh!

by Temujin on Jan 12, 2009 5:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Ha. I don't even remember seeing Hordicus last game

by Sean Zandberg on Jan 12, 2009 8:07 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

So who do you keep? Sandford or Labarbrera.

Demitra is non-existent. His points are generally cheapies and the only goal that I remember him scoring this year was in Calgary (OT winner).

And for the record, Pyatt is inconsistent, a pylon sometimes and to timid. Yet for some strange reason I like him.

by Billy on Jan 12, 2009 10:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

At least Pyatt can play defensively. Plus I like the size factor with him and Sundin.

I keep Barbie over Sanford anyday. Ian Clark is working hard with Labarbera's positioning and speed. And if Labarbera improves in those areas he'll be like...Scott Clemmenson I think!

by Sean Zandberg on Jan 12, 2009 10:28 PM PST reply actions 0 recs