Demko opens up on injury status at Canucks training camp
He’s not 100% healthy yet, but Thatcher Demko did make an on-ice appearance on the first day of Vancouver Canucks training camp in Penticton. And he did speak to the media.
Demko’s injury status has been shrouded in mystery for months. He was reportedly nearing a return to play when the Canucks were eliminated from the playoffs in Game 7 of their second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers. Now, it appears he won’t be ready to start the season.
Did he have off-season surgery? That’s a question insiders have been asking but haven’t been able to answer.
Until today.
Demko confirmed that he had a “minor procedure” this offseason that was unrelated to his current injury. He called it a “frustrating summer.”
“It’s such a rare case, such a unique injury, that we didn’t have a lot of readily available research or case studies,” Demko told reporters at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.
The good news is that he said he’s made a “ton of progress” in the last two to three weeks.
“I have full confidence that I’ll be able to get back to 100%.”
Thatcher Demko going through some movements at #Canucks training camp.
The goalie is on the ice early before the first ground.
He will speak to media shortly after he gets off the ice. pic.twitter.com/9sK7VbSNX6
— Noah Strang (@noahstrang_) September 19, 2024
“Looking back, as a competitor I think you kind of lie to yourself in a playoff situation,” Demko said in reference to reports that he was nearing a return in the playoffs. “I thought maybe I was a little bit farther ahead than I was. In hindsight, I do think that I would have been in a situation where I probably would have been able to kind of grit through it and maybe get out there and play in the Conference Final.”
The 28-year-old didn’t see linear progress with his recovery this summer.
“I did hit a bit of a wall in the summer as far as the recovery went. We did see a little bit of a lack of progress there for a couple months. Obviously that’s why I’m in the situation that I’m in right now.”
Demko added that he has spoken to specialists “around the world” and that they haven’t been able to find another hockey player who has dealt with this particular type of injury before.
“There’s not one case that we can find, goaltender or hockey player in general. It’s been wild. It’s been part of the frustration, is just not having a ton of information and you’re kind of going into it blindfolded.”
Demko didn’t join his Canucks teammates on the ice, rather he was put through the paces by newly promoted Canucks goalie coach Marko Torenius.
It remains to be seen when Demko will be game ready — there’s still no timeline for his return — though seeing him on the ice is obviously a positive sign.
Thatcher Demko addresses the media at Training Camp and provides an update on his progress.#Canucks | @lululemon pic.twitter.com/2fi9wLphrS
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 19, 2024
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