Canucks Activate Thatcher Demko

The Canucks are about to get a key player back in their lineup.  The team announced (Twitter link) that goaltender Thatcher Demko has been activated from Injured Non-Roster status.  He’s expected to serve as the backup goaltender tonight against Columbus.

It has been a long road back for the 28-year-old.  Demko last played in the opening round of the playoffs where he suffered a popliteal muscle injury.  Since then, there have been multiple times when they hoped Demko was nearing a return but instead, his ramp-up had to be slowed down.  Now, it appears he’s in good enough condition to at least serve in the second-string role against Columbus.

Demko had his best season in 2023-24, posting a 2.45 GAA, a .918 SV%, and five shutouts in 51 starts for Vancouver.  That performance made him the Vezina Trophy runner-up to Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck.  However, he only suited up once in the postseason before being unable to play through the injury.  His return will certainly be a welcome one with the Canucks sitting in the middle of the pack in the Pacific Division.

For the moment, at least, Vancouver has three goalies on its active roster with Kevin Lankinen (starting tonight) and Arturs Silovs (who eventually became the starter in the playoffs once Demko was injured) being the other two.  Silovs is off to a particularly rough start (he has a 4.11 GAA and a .847 SV%) in his first seven outings and is waiver-exempt, making him an easy choice to send down to AHL Abbotsford at some point.

That said, if the Canucks want to ease Demko in, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Silovs stay up for the time being to dress as the backup at times or to lighten the workload at practice.  With the team recently moving Filip Hronek to LTIR and sending Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Cole McWard down after doing so, Vancouver has ample roster and cap space to keep all three on the active roster if they decide that’s the route they want to take.