Vancouver Canucks deliver bad news on Demko's injury status
The news regarding Thatcher Demko’s latest injury appears to be concerning.
Demko started the Vancouver Canucks’ last game before the 4 Nations break, February 8, against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but did not finish it. He left during a first-period stoppage.
Head coach Rick Tocchet seemed optimistic following the game, saying, “I don’t think it’s that serious,” when asked by reporters.
Define serious?
Demko wasn’t on the ice with his Canucks teammates today, in the first practice since the break. And when the Canucks begin their five-game road trip on Saturday in Las Vegas, he won’t be there either.
Demko is “week-to-week,” according to reports, including the one below from Thomas Drance of The Athletic. The “lower body” injury is apparently not to his knee, which bothered Demko for much of 2024.
Thatcher Demko (lower body) wonât be making the upcoming road trip with the team, will be reevaluated when the #Canucks return from Seattle next weekend.
Itâs not the knee. Officially âweek-to-weekâ, per team spokesperson.
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) February 18, 2025
Injuries have limited Demko to just 17 starts this season. The 29-year-old has posted a 6-6-3 record with a .891 save percentage.
Demko didn’t play his first game until December 10 and was injured again on January 2, apparently due to back spasms. It only kept the San Diego native out of the lineup for a week.
The Canucks have back-to-back games this weekend, against Vegas and Utah, and another back-to-back set for Wednesday (Los Angeles) and Thursday (Anaheim), so we could see Arturs Silovs get into game action. Silovs hasn’t seen NHL ice since November 27, with Demko and Kevin Lankinen carrying the load since then.
The 23-year-old Latvian has been hot of late, winning each of his last four starts with the Abbotsford Canucks. Silovs has a 10-4-0 record with a .906 save percentage in the AHL this season.