With the Appeal Clock ticking, the Islanders front office sent a long winded appeal that Jason Demers’ DF rating is too high at 79. With an OV of only 56, Demers is ineligible to play on the Pro roster unless the farm is depleted of 60+ OV blueliners.
Frankly, there is simply no excuse for a player to have a 79 DF rating when his OV requires a systematic reduction due to a lack of NHL playing time. The Islanders are firm in their belief that Demers should have had a lower DF rating to reflect his total uselessness.
To add to the misery, Demers did a double dip last week, signing a broadcast contract with the NHL Network.
In the words of one young Islander fan, “Only a fool would sign this player who cannot play unless the D cupboard is completely out of 60+ OV defensemen.”
In any case, the appeal will be heard. The NEFHL rating authority lowered Demers’ ratings (IT from 50 to 35, ST from 66 to 35, EN from 74 to 35, PA from 54 to 35, PC from 50 to 35, SC from 40 to 35, SO from 50 to 35, and both EX LD from 60 to 25. How is it fair that his DF remains at 79?
Demers was a well-travelled player, having played for 14 different teams in his 12 year NEFHL career.
Beginning in 2010 with the Oilers, he was traded to the Stars in 2011, then the Panthers and Red Wings in 2012 and, in a career highlight, played a full season with the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. From 2014 to 2017 Demers was a Jet all the way.
Then, in a classic NEFHL sequence, Demers was traded 3 times in 2 weeks. Beginning with a trade from Winnipeg to Florida on February 3, 2018, he was quickly dealt from Florida to Buffalo on the 18th of February. After playing one game for the Sabres, he ended up in Nashville two days later on February 20th.
The Demers journey didn’t stop in Nashville. He then played for the Jets again, Nashville again, followed by the Bruins, Canucks and Flyers.
Interestingly, the undrafted Demers was originally signed by Buffalo in 2009.