Demski getting better with age

It’s a rare sight in professional sports, a hometown player in his 10th season not just holding on but thriving.

For Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Nic Demski, his stellar 2025 season isn’t just a testament to his talent, but also to his love for football and a commitment to growth. Through nine games, Demski has registered 41 receptions for 640 yards and five touchdowns, putting him on pace to set new career single-season highs in all three categories.

His production has been particularly vital this year, as fellow star receiver Dalton Schoen has been sidelined since Week 5 owing to a knee injury. While Schoen’s limited participation the last two seasons has created more opportunity, Demski’s ability to consistently step up and be a primary target for quarterback Zach Collaros speaks volumes about his development and reliability.

As veteran defensive lineman Jake Thomas puts it, Demski’s most impressive trait is his constant desire to improve his craft.

“The small details, he considers all those things, and I think he does that day in and day out here,” Thomas said inside the Bombers locker room following Tuesday’s closed practice. “But he’s also having a lot of fun. You can hear him laughing in the background right now. He’s usually always having a pretty good time, but he’s for sure a hard worker.”

Demski, who will be 32 in December, appears to be getting better with age. After recording his first career 1,000-yard receiving season in 2023, he followed that up by setting a new career high in 2024 with 1,030 yards.

If he can keep his current pace, Demski should finish this season with more than 1,200 yards and touchdowns in the double-digits.

“I swear he seems like he gets faster every year,” Thomas said.

While Demski may have entered the CFL as a gifted athlete, he’s evolved into a sponge, trying to soak up as much as he can.

“I was the guy that came in here that was a little bit blind to the CFL… I wasn’t a real student at the game,” Demski admitted. “I was more just an athlete and a playmaker.”

Demski said that changed when he came to Winnipeg ahead of the 2018 campaign, after spending his first three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Learning from veterans such as quarterback Matt Nichols and former offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice, and later forming a strong bond with Collaros, he began to see the game differently.

Demski signing with his hometown team coincided with the Bombers’ meteoric rise in recent years, including five consecutive trips to the Grey Cup, winning twice. He has been named a CFL West All-Star the last four years and is primed to earn a fifth nod.

Demski credits the Bombers organization for prioritizing players who love to learn, noting he’s always picking up “bits and pieces of other guys games and kind of turning them into my own version.” It’s a mentality that has refined his raw athleticism into a more complete skillset.

Head Coach Mike O’Shea has witnessed this evolution firsthand.

“You always appreciate his athleticism, and when you are first around him, for a longer period of time, you realize just how good he is, how athletic he is,” O’Shea said. “He’s still putting the time in to work on specialty catches or footwork out of a break, and I think that’s important leadership for the group.”

When asked about how his approach has changed, Demski quickly points to his off-field routine. He admitted he probably could have spent more time in the weight room earlier in his career, but he’s come to understand the most important ability is availability.

“Honestly, even movements, stretching, making sure that if I am in the weight room, I’m lifting things the right way,” he said. “The more available you are for game day, the more production you can get out there. I know that this team has trusted me — the coaching staff and the players around me — so I just got to go out there and do my part and make this team right.”

Demski is also a coach with Recruit Ready, a local program that works to get young football players to the next level, and he has his own football camp in the summer.

“To me, football is so much bigger than just a sport,” he said. “I stress it to the kids that I coach, that it can give you opportunity to go to school, it gives you opportunity to get all the traits that you need in life, when it’s time to go live your real life or go get a real job in the real world, as we call it.”

Like O’Shea, veteran offensive lineman Stanley Bryant has had a front-row seat to Demski’s work ethic. Bryant said what stands out is he brings it every single day.

“Just the extra work he puts in — on the days before practice, after practice,” Bryant said. “He’s very consistent. You know what you’re going to get from him.”

Bryant said this consistent grind allows Demski to play with an infectious energy and a composure that his teammates admire.

“He’s chill, laid back, have a good time,” Bryant noted, adding it’s rare to even see him get mad during a game. “Just a great guy, great athlete, great football player. He’s been good to us ever since he’s been here, and I appreciate him a lot.”

For Demski, football is more than just a job; it’s a way of life. When asked if he views his profession differently now that he’s a father and has added responsibilities, he said his love for the game has only grown.

“It’s funny, because you say it as a joke, but you love this game even when sometimes the game doesn’t love you back,” he said. “But I never want the game to dump me. As long as I love it, I want to do everything possible for me to be available.”

This deep-rooted passion is evident in his life outside of the Bombers.

A prominent figure in the local community, Demski was the recipient of the 2024 Ed Kotowich ‘Good Guy Award’, which recognizes football ability, leadership and outstanding community effort. He was honoured for his work with programs such “I Love to Read,” his trip north to Thompson and his visits to the Children’s Hospital.

As a local product who played for the University of Manitoba Bisons, Demski takes great pride in where he comes from. His legacy only continues to grow, as he cements his name as one of the club’s all-time greats.

“The game has slowed down a lot for me,” Demski said. “I’m still just trying to learn, the learning never stops for me.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca