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Thatcher Demko

Pacific Notes: Demko, Richardson, Cull

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The offseason has already started for 30 of the NHL’s 32 teams, and David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period believes the busiest teams from that group has been the Vancouver Canucks. In one matter in particular, Pagnotta reports that Canucks netminder Thatcher Demko is open to a change of scenery this summer.

It’s a stark contrast from Jim Rutherford’s expressed desires at the end of the season. Rutherford bluntly said, “We would like to extend him.” Pagnotta’s report could indicate that Demko isn’t on the same page as the Canucks, is open to being traded if there isn’t an extension by the end of the offseason, or it’s just plain conjecture.

Any team interested in acquiring Demko will be trading for a gamble. He’s had storied issues staying healthy over the last two years, but still carries a career .910 SV% in 242 games. He’s reportedly entering the offseason healthy, so he’ll have a full summer of preparation, which could give goalie-hungry teams enough comfort to pull the trigger on a move.

Other notes from the Pacific Division:

  • Although the Seattle Kraken ultimately hired Lane Lambert as their next head coach, the team reportedly garnered interest from the Chicago Blackhawks’ former bench boss. Bill Meltzer, a contributor for the Philadelphia Flyers, reported that Luke Richardson expressed interest in the coaching vacancy in Seattle, but it is unclear whether he secured an interview. The Boston Bruins’ and Pittsburgh Penguins’ vacancies are the only two remaining for Richardson, and there’s no belief he’s a frontrunner for either.
  • The Calgary Flames have promoted the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers. Calgary announced they’ve added Trent Cull as an assistant coach on a full-time basis for the 2025-26 NHL season. Cull guided the Wranglers to two straight postseason appearances, losing in the Pacific Division semifinals during his first year and the First Round this postseason.

Canucks Notes: Willander, Demko, Center

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The Vancouver Canucks’ General Manager Patrik Allvin and President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford held their end of season press conference earlier today. As one of the most important revelations from the media availability, Harman Dayal of The Athletic received a confirmation from Allvin that top prospect Tom Willander intends to return to Boston University for his junior season.

Allvin’s announcement comes with little surprise, given that a report a few days ago indicated that contract negotiations weren’t going well between the parties. The report suggests that the Canucks are low-balling Willander on Schedule ’A’ bonuses, obviously something the 2023 first-round pick isn’t interested in accepting.

Still, it’s not necessarily a worst-case scenario from Vancouver’s perspective. The organization still owns Willander’s contractual rights until after the 2026-27 NCAA season. That reality gives the Canucks a lot of control over the negotiations, having time on their side in repairing the relationship.

Other notes from the Canucks’ media availability:

  • In a surprising admission, Thomas Drance of The Athletic quoted Rutherford as saying, “We would like to extend him,” regarding netminder Thatcher Demko. The negotiations will be interesting to observe due to concerns about Demko’s health over the past year. He’s signed through next season on a $5MM cap hit and was only healthy enough to participate in 23 games for Vancouver this year. Meanwhile, the Canucks signed his tandem partner Kevin Lankinen to a five-year, $22.5MM extension in February.
  • Lastly, Randip Janda of Sportsnet publicized one of the more brutally honest quotes from the press conference. The quote in question was concerning the Canucks’ need for a center with Rutherford saying, “It will be expensive. But it will be expensive not to get one.” After trading J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers, Vancouver finished the season with a lethargic group down the middle, led by an unimpressive performance from Elias Pettersson, who scored four goals in 19 contests after the deal.

Canucks Expected To Activate Thatcher Demko

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The Canucks are expected to reinstate goaltender Thatcher Demko from injured reserve today, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast. Vancouver plans to start the netminder for tonight’s Hughes bowl against the Devils.

Demko, 29, was a Vezina Trophy nominee for the first time in 2023-24 but sustained a knee injury in Game 1 of the postseason that ended his campaign. The injury, later revealed to be a complex issue with his popliteus muscle, also kept him on the sidelines through the first two months of 2024-25. Upon returning to the lineup, he wasn’t himself – posting a .881 SV% and a 2-1-3 record in seven starts before briefly exiting the lineup again with a back injury. That one only cost him a couple of starts, and he returned a week later. He logged an improved but still underwhelming .899 SV% in 10 appearances leading into the 4 Nations break.

In Vancouver’s final game before the break, Demko left midway through the first period of his start against the Maple Leafs with a lower-body injury and hasn’t played since. While unrelated to his popliteus muscle issues, it kept him off the ice for over a month. He only returned to practice as a full participant yesterday, but Friedman reports he’s been doing “a lot of work behind the scenes” in an attempt to return to play as soon as possible for the stretch run.

Demko’s return could make a considerable impact in the Western Conference wild-card race. Back-to-back losses have slashed Vancouver’s playoff chances to 11.3%, per MoneyPuck, now sitting five points back of the Blues with two games in hand, but the Flames are still ahead of them in the catch-up race. While Demko hasn’t been great this year, his season numbers are better than what Kevin Lankinen has given them since the break. After signing a five-year, $22.5MM extension last month, he’s posted a 5-6-1 record and a .885 SV% in 12 appearances. Fatigue has likely played a factor for Lankinen, who’s started 10 of Vancouver’s 11 games in March. His 44 starts and 46 appearances on the year are already career-highs by a significant margin.

Since we’re past the trade deadline, the Canucks won’t need to make a corresponding move to activate Demko from IR. Nonetheless, they’ll presumably return current backup Arturs Silovs to AHL Abbotsford unless they have a desire to carry three goalies.

Injury Notes: Martinez, Dickinson, Demko, Greenway

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Chicago Blackhawks’ forward Jason Dickinson and defenseman Alec Martinez were both out of the lineup in today’s 7-4 win against the Flyers after leaving yesterday’s game early with injury, per WGN Radio reporter Charlie Roumeliotis. Both players sustained undisclosed injuries in Saturday’s 4-1 loss against the Blues and both only registered six shifts before being removed. In 59 games, Dickinson has recorded 7 goals and 16 points this season, a disappointing showing after setting a career high 22 goals and 35 points last season in Chicago. The veteran Martinez has recorded 12 points, 80 blocked shots, and a minus-15 rating in his first season with the Blackhawks. Martinez, who has appeared in 861 career games, signed a one-year, $4MM contract with Chicago this past summer and will be a free agent at the end of the season.

In other injury news:

  • Thatcher Demko was a full participant in practice for the first time since being injured six weeks ago, according to Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre. Demko suffered a lower-body injury during Vancouver’s 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 8th and has been on injured reserve since. With the Canucks just three points out of the final wild card spot in the west, the potential return of Demko would serve as a key reinforcement down the stretch. However, with just 12 games remaining in their season, it will be interesting to see how long it will take Demko to get the official greenlight to return to play.
  • Buffalo Sabres’ forward Jordan Greenway exited today’s matchup against the Winnipeg Jets with a lower-body injury and did not return, per Michael Derosa of Yahoo Sports. Greenway logged just 4:44 of ice time before exiting after blocking a shot. After setting a career high with 10 goals and 28 points last season, Greenway has struggled to stay healthy this year and has suited up in just 33 games for the Sabres. The 6’6, 230-pound winger has still showcased his physical presence, registering 100 hits in 33 games, all while averaging 15:23 of ice time per game.

Pacific Notes: Demko, Couture, Kovalenko

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The Canucks could be getting closer to getting their regular starting goaltender back as Sportsnet 650’s Brendan Batchelor relays (Twitter link) that Thatcher Demko skated today for the second straight day.  He has missed more than a month as he continues to battle a groin injury, not the knee issue that sidelined him in the playoffs last year and caused him to miss the first three months of this season.  Demko has underperformed when he has been available, posting a 2.87 GAA with a .891 SV% in 17 games.  But with Arturs Silovs also struggling and Kevin Lankinen blowing past his career high in games played already, even having Demko back in a secondary capacity for the stretch run should help boost Vancouver’s chances as they battle for a playoff spot in the West.

Elsewhere in the Pacific:

  • Out of the lineup for nearly 14 months now, there remains no timetable for Sharks center Logan Couture to return to the ice, notes Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. The 35-year-old last played on January 31st, 2024, and has been dealing with osteitis pubis since then.  With just 15 games left on the season and the fact he hasn’t returned to the ice, it’s looking like Couture won’t suit up at all in the 2024-25 campaign.  He’s signed through the 2026-27 campaign at a $8MM cap charge.
  • Still with San Jose, speaking with Responsible Gambling’s Sergei Demidov, former NHL winger Andrei Kovalenko provided an update on his son’s contractual situation. He noted that the Sharks planned to discuss a new contract with Nikolai Kovalenko’s agent during the 4 Nations break but when the 25-year-old was injured, those plans were shelved.  Instead, the sides agreed to push contract talks until after the season.  Kovalenko has six goals and 11 assists in 49 games between Colorado and San Jose in 2024-25 in just under 12 minutes a night of playing time.

Vancouver Canucks Recall Victor Mancini, Place Thatcher Demko On IR

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6:01 PM: The Canucks officially announced the roster moves.  Demko’s placement is retroactive to February 8th, meaning he’ll be eligible to be activated at any time.

3:02 PM: According to the team’s play-by-play radio commentator Brendan Batchelor, the Vancouver Canucks have recalled defenseman Victor Mancini from their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. Vancouver will open up a spot on the active roster for Mancini by placing netminder Thatcher Demko on the injured reserve.

Demko’s placement on the IR will likely be made retroactive to February 8th. He left the Canucks’ game against the Toronto Maple Leafs after only 10 minutes due to a lower-body injury. During the 4 Nations Face-Off break it was announced that Demko wouldn’t join the team on their current five-game road trip and his recovery timeline is considered week-to-week.

It’s becoming somewhat of a lost season for the eight-year netminder. Due to lingering injury issues from the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, Demko’s 2024-25 debut was delayed until December 10th. He hasn’t been inspiring when healthy either managing a 6-6-3 record in 17 starts with a .891 save percentage and 2.87 goals-against average.

The newfound injury concerns are especially unfortunate when considering Demko’s season last year. The San Diego, CA native was instrumental in Vancouver’s return to the postseason posting a 35-14-2 record in 51 starts with a .918 SV% and 2.45 GAA. His 21.2 Goals Saved Above Average according to Hockey Reference accounts for 82.8% of his total GSAA throughout his career.

Demko’s future in British Columbia became even cloudier yesterday when the Canucks’ signed fellow netminder Kevin Lankinen to a five-year extension. Lankinen has been objectively better for Vancouver this season and his new contract will run four years longer than Demko’s current deal with the team.

Meanwhile, the freshly acquired Mancini could debut with the Canucks this evening. He’s tallied one assist in five games in AHL Abbotsford since being acquired from the New York Rangers as a part of the package for J.T. Miller.

Vancouver may still need an injury replacement for Quinn Hughes during tonight’s contest and Mancini would have to battle defenseman Elias Pettersson for that role. Pettersson has proven better defensively in limited action but Mancini has outscored him with one goal and four assists throughout 15 games with the Rangers.

Canucks’ Thatcher Demko Out Week-To-Week

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Vancouver Canucks starting goaltender Thatcher Demko won’t join the team for their upcoming five-game road trip, per Thomas Drance of The Athletic. Demko suffered a lower-body injury just 10 minutes into Vancouver’s 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 8th – the team’s last game before the 4-Nations Face-Off break. Drance added that Demko has been designated as out week-to-week and that Demko’s injury isn’t connected to the knee injury that held him out of multiple weeks at the end of last season.

The Canucks turned to backup Kevin Lankinen to replace Demko after his injury. Lankinen posted 21 saves on 22 shots to lead Vancouver to a win, bringing his season-long record up to 19-8-7 in 34 appearances. Lankinen has also leads all Canucks goaltenders with a .905 save percentage and 2.53 goals-against-average. He’ll be the assumed starter when the Canucks return from break, but their upcoming road-trip features two sets of back-to-back games. That tight schedule will likely open the door for Arturs Silovs to make his own spot start.

Silovs hasn’t played since late-November, after appearing in seven of Vancouver’s first 22 games. The 23-year-old Latvian posted a 1-4-1 record, .847 Sv%, and 4.11 GAA in those appearances, prompting a quick return to the minor leagues. He found more stable footing in Abbotsford, posting a 10-4-0 record and .906 Sv%. Silovs upheld those numbers through multiple trips to serve as Lankinen’s backup when Demko missed time in January. He could now be rewarded for waiting with game time – but isn’t likely to claw above the pair of veterans ahead of him on the depth chart in what should be a minimal role.

Lankinen should be a stout fill-in on the heels of his strong season, but Vancouver will still surely miss Demko. The oft-injured starter was finally finding his groove before the Canucks went on break, marked by a 3-1-0 record and .952 Sv% in his last four healthy games. That streak was a welcome turnaround for Demko after he started his season with a dismal 3-5-3 record and .867 Sv% in 12 games. He seemed to need an extended runway as he worked his way back from a long-term ailment – and now lands in a similar and untimely situation. The Canucks will return from their extended road trip on March 5th, then quickly face four games across a six-day stretch.

Snapshots: Greenway, Crosby, Eriksson Ek, Demko

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Discussions about a possible contract extension have not started between the Sabres and pending UFA winger Jordan Greenway, reports Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News.  The trade deadline is now less than a month away but it doesn’t appear discussions about a possible new deal will begin until much closer to that time though there is believed to be mutual interest in getting an agreement in place.  Greenway is expected to return from his mid-body injury after the break, an injury that will have kept him out for more than two months.  The 27-year-old has three goals and four assists in 20 games this season and will likely be heading for a small raise on his current $3MM price tag on his next contract.

More from around the NHL:

  • Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters including NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman that center Sidney Crosby skated again today as he works his way back from an upper-body injury. He added that the captain felt significantly better today which suggests he shouldn’t be out much longer.  Now, the focus turns to the 4 Nations Face-Off where Crosby is set to be Canada’s captain.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman relays (Twitter link) that it will ultimately be Crosby’s decision on whether he participates or withdraws due to the injury.  Final rosters have to be submitted on Monday so a decision will need to be made quickly on that front.
  • The Wild announced (Twitter link) that center Joel Eriksson Ek was scratched from tonight’s game due to a lower-body injury. It has been a tough year on the injury front for the veteran who has already missed 14 games due to a pair of lower-body issues and a broken nose.  In between those, he has scuffled a bit offensively, notching just nine goals and 14 assists in 41 games after putting up his second straight year of more than 60 points last season.  He’s slated to play for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off; The Athletic’s Michael Russo notes (Twitter link) that it’s uncertain if the injury will keep Eriksson Ek from playing in the event.
  • The Canucks announced (Twitter link) that goaltender Thatcher Demko left tonight’s game versus Toronto early due to injury and did not return. Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston adds that Demko was seen wincing after making some saves during the warm up.  The 29-year-old has been limited to just 19 games this season after missing the first two months while working his way back from an injured popliteus muscle in his left knee.

Canucks Reassign Arturs Silovs

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The Canucks reassigned goaltender Arturs Silovs to AHL Abbotsford on Thursday, general manager Patrik Allvin said in a team announcement. The move signals Thatcher Demko, who’s missed Vancouver’s last three games with back spasms, should be available Friday against the Hurricanes. Head coach Rick Tocchet told Dan Murphy of Sportsnet before Wednesday’s overtime loss to the Capitals that the latter was close to returning.

Silovs, 23, had been on the Canucks’ roster since Friday, the day after Demko left his start against the Kraken due to a collision with teammate Noah Juulsen. He backed up Kevin Lankinen while Demko was unavailable and didn’t get into any game action.

Vancouver has shuffled the Latvian native between leagues a handful of times this season. However, he hasn’t played an NHL contest since Demko returned from the lingering knee injury that ended his 2024 playoff run after one game in late November.

Starting the season as Lankinen’s backup while Demko was unavailable, Silovs made it clear he needs more development time in the minors. The 2019 sixth-round pick posted a 1-4-1 record in six starts and one relief appearance, underwhelming with a .847 SV% and 4.11 GAA and just one quality start.

Silovs burst onto the scene in the 2024 playoffs after Demko and then-backup Casey DeSmith exited their first-round series against the Predators with injuries. He started 10 straight contests, carrying them to a series win over Nashville and a Game 7 loss to the Oilers in the second round, posting a .898 SV%, 2.91 GAA, and one shutout.

In five games with Abbotsford this season, Silovs has a .900 SV% and 2.44 GAA with a 2-3-0 record. The 2023 World Championship MVP signed a two-year, $1.7MM contract to return to the Canucks in July after a couple of weeks on the restricted free agent market.

Canucks Notes: Demko, Pettersson, Hughes, Joshua, Schneider

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Speaking with reporters following Friday’s loss to Nashville, head coach Rick Tocchet told reporters including TSN’s Farhan Lalji (Twitter link) that goaltender Thatcher Demko, defenseman Quinn Hughes, and center Elias Pettersson will all travel on their upcoming five-game road trip.  Additionally, he’d be “shocked” if they didn’t suit up at some point over that stretch.  Those three are obviously three of Vancouver’s top players and getting them back would help their chances of snapping their current drought that has seen them lose six of their last eight games.  Their returns would also result in some players being sent down, opening up more cap space which is notable for a management team that’s known to prefer to strike early on the trade front.

More from Vancouver:

  • There might be another cause for concern on the injury front as well. Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston notes that winger Dakota Joshua was banged up with a lower-body injury last night against Nashville and even though he returned to finish the game, he might not be fully healthy now as well.  Joshua has struggled this season since returning from his battle with testicular cancer and has been limited to just four points in 24 games although he sits second on the team with 83 hits.
  • In a separate piece from Johnston, he relays that Vancouver has been interested in Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere and defenseman Braden Schneider for quite some time. While Lafreniere isn’t likely to be moved having signed a long-term extension earlier this season, their interest in Schneider likely still stands, especially since he plays the type of role they tried to fill with Vincent Desharnais over the summer, a move that hasn’t worked out so far.  Of course, Schneider is only 23 and with New York struggling, he might not be the type of player they’re necessarily looking to move.

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