Vancouver Canucks make two roster moves with Demko hurt again
The Vancouver Canucks are shuffling the deck once again following another Thatcher Demko injury.
Things are looking bleak in Vancouver following a dismal 5-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. The offence is stagnant, the defence is leaky, and they can’t seem to get healthy between the pipes.
It was a forgettable performance from Demko, who left the game after allowing three goals on six shots. Many assumed he was pulled from the game due to his poor play, but head coach Adam Foote confirmed postgame that the 30-year-old was actually injured.
Canucks GM Patrik Allvin was busy on Sunday making some roster moves to deal with the injury. Nikita Tolopilo was called up from the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks under emergency conditions to help the team deal with the loss of Demko, who was placed on the IR.
On top of that, Vancouver also sent down defenceman Elias Pettersson and brought up Victor Mancini to the big club.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that D Elias Pettersson has been assigned to Abbotsford (AHL), D Victor Mancini has been recalled from Abbotsford and G Nikita Tolopilo has been recalled from Abbotsford under emergency conditions.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 11, 2026
The 25-year-old Tolopilo has appeared in four NHL games this season, posting a 2-1-0 record and a .910 save percentage. He will likely act as the Canucks backup while Kevin Lankinen takes over Demko’s starting position.Ā Tolopilo has a 4-4-3 record and a .900 save percentage in 11 AHL games this year as well.
Demko has already missed 14 games this season due to injury, and there is currently no intel on how long this latest issue will keep him out of the lineup.
Meanwhile, it seems like patience has run out for the younger Pettersson. The 21-year-old defenceman has just a goal and six points in 38 games with the Canucks this season. He had been a healthy scratch in three of the last six games.
He will be swapped out with the 23-year-old Mancini, who has appeared in just five NHL games this season. In the AHL, he has a goal and six points in 20 games.
It’s unlikely that these transactions will do much to move the needle for the Canucks. Vancouver currently sits dead-last in the entire NHL and is on a three-game losing streak. Losing their starting goaltender is just salt in the wound at this point.
They’ll be in tough to end that losing skid, as they will visit the high-flying Montreal Canadiens on Monday night.