Demko expected back for Canucks in less than a month: report
The Vancouver Canucks could be getting goalie Thatcher Demko back in just a few weeks.
A timeline for the star’s recovery from injury has been made public by TSN’s Darren Dreger and it seems like he may be nearing a return to the ice.
“The outside timeline is three-to-four weeks for both guys,” said Dreger when discussing the injured Dakota Joshua and Thatcher DemkoĀ on theĀ Sekeres and PriceĀ show today.
There had been no recovery estimates made public for either player until this point.
“Thatcher Demko and that mysterious knee recovery situation, not a lot of details on what’s actually going on there but again, same sort of timeline, that’s three-to-four weeks,” continued Dreger.
The American-born netminder has still not practiced with the team as he recovers from a knee injury suffered in last year’s playoffs. He’s been seen taking light shots from coaches but he has yet to publicly participate in any sort of full-speed drills.
The ailment was revealed to be affecting his popliteus muscle, an injury that the goalie told media had never been found in a hockey player before. The rarity of the injury has made the recovery frustrating and unpredictable.
TSN insider @DarrenDreger gives @mattsekeres and @justBlakePrice an optimistic update on Demko and Dakota Joshua's recovery times. @TSN_Sports #Canucks
Presented by @bet365 |#NeverOrdinary #bet365 pic.twitter.com/AGGZG11YMd
— Sekeres and Price (@sekeresandprice) October 7, 2024
This was the second of two knee injuries Demko suffered last year which forced him to miss a significant chunk of the regular season and all of the playoffs but one game. He still managed to finish second in Vezina Trophy voting for his outstanding play.
The Canucks signed veteran Kevin Lankinen off the waiver wire to solidify their goaltending while Demko continues to recover. The team is expected to start the season with a duo of Lankinen and Arturs Silovs leading the way.
Silovs is the likely starter for the team’s first game of the season on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames. The Canucks will be looking to get off to a strong start despite not having their starting goalie available.