Thank You *Ahem!* Pavol Demitra

Hope you are enjoying my "Thank You" series for the Canucks who have departed this summer. This player is going to be a tough one to tackle. (Where is Jes Golbez when you need him??) I remember that fateful day that Mike Gillis signed his former client Demitra to a 2-year $8 million contract. I wasn't enthused one bit. Demitra was a sort of replacement for Markus Naslund but the upside was that he had averaged more points per game over his career than Nazzy did. But we knew the injuries were coming. I knew we acquired a guy that wasn't much of an upgrade over Naslund at all. Mostly finesse and not much grit. Not the kind of guy you put on a team trying to do damage in the playoffs.

Oh wait, I'm supposed to (by my own standard) be keeping these posts kind and civil. It's really difficult to do with Demo. What did he really do for us over 2 years?

Well for starters he chose to play here on his own accord. Mike Gillis signed him 10 days after free agency started. Demo liked the direction Gillis was taking the team and he liked the city of Vancouver. Yet he balked at Alain Vigneault's line juggling in the first year of his contract. Enter the RPM Line: Ryan Kesler-Mats Sundin-Pavol Demitra. That was a treat to watch, no doubt. I think Kesler's experience with those two really jump started his production. But the injuries kept adding up. Ribs, groin, finger and personal reasons caused Demo to miss a combined total of 67 regular season games and 5 playoff games over his two years here. Gee Gillis, you didn't see this coming?

In 97 regular season games played with Vancouver Demitra tallied 23 goals and 46 assists. That's 0.71 points per game. His career average is 0.91 points per game and was obviously higher before he signed here. Playoff totals as a Canuck? 3 goals and 6 assists in 17 games. That is a 0.53 PPG average. His career average is 0.63 in the post season.

Well shit.

I can't do this. I can't support an injury-prone, perimeter-playing, whining, cap sucker. So I will leave you with the almighty powers of YouTube to find (preserve) some form of dignity *I mean* happy memories of one Pavol Demitra.

PAVOL FEATURE FROM CANUCKS.COM.

I'M JUST LIKE: UHHHHHHHHHHHH

WHERE WAS THIS PRIDE IN A CANUCKS UNI?

DEMO SCORES TO MAKE IT 1-0 CANUCKS VS CHICAGO IN THE 2009 PLAYOFFS. The word "benefactor" comes to mind.

DEMO'S FIRST GOAL AS A CANUCK. An OT winner against the Flames. OK, I like that.

PAVOL TIES THE GAME IN THE PLAYOFFS VS THE KINGS. Clink!

OK, THIS EXPLAINS EVERYTHING

DEMO 2008-09. Nice hands. Gotta give him that.

TRADEMARK DEMO SHOOTOUT MOVE

PRETTY SOLID ON THE PP. Who does the dirty work here though?

SO GOOD AT SCORING EMPTY NET GOALS TOO.

AAAAAND MY FAVE DEMO HIGHLIGHT:

That's all I've got. Feel any better? Have I converted anybody? I didn't think so. Have fun in the KHL. Despite my anger towards 2 years of Demo I have to thank him for:

1. The RPM Line

2. Timely goals at times

3. Entertaining and enthusiastic goal celebrations

4. Introducing me to the Clonazepam-Alcohol combination and encouraging me to stick to that winning combo. Doctor said "don't mix the 2" but I couldn't help myself.

Maybe somebody else should have sent Pavol off into the clouded sunset on a rented mule in a post like this. Problem is: Nobody raised their hand. Excuse my exaggeration. I promise the next send off will be more positive.