Canucks goalie prospect Thatcher Demko suffers concussion

It hasn’t been a smooth start to the season for the Vancouver Canucks, and that includes goaltender Thatcher Demko.

Appearing in five periods of play so far this preseason, the highly-touted 22-year-old netminder has let in seven goals on 42 shots, for a disappointing .833 save percentage.

It’s a short sample size, to be sure, but it’s all anyone in Vancouver is going to see of him for a while. Demko missed practice on Thursday with a concussion, head coach Travis Green announced.

Demko is in concussion protocol, said Coach Green. He was injured during morning skate in Utah.

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 27, 2018

As with any concussion, the timeline is unclear. Twelve days ago Green said that he expected to see Antoine Roussel, who’s out with the same injury, on the ice “sooner than later.” We still haven’t seen him.

Demko apparently suffered the injury during the morning skate in Salt Lake City, before the Canucks’ game against the LA Kings.

The Canucks were expected to keep Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson – the same tandem as last year – to start the regular season, so this injury didn’t cost Demko a spot on the roster. When healthy, expect Demko to join the Utica Comets.

Demko, who is pencilled in as Markstrom’s backup in 2019, was excellent last season in Utica, posting a .922 save percentage.

See also

• Canucks cut 2 prospects and put Gaunce on waivers
• The Canucks have been terrible so far, even by their standards
• Bob Cole is retiring from Hockey Night in Canada soon