Vancouver Canucks could be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko for weekend games

Minnesota Wild centre Ben Jones (39) tangles with Vancouver Canucks defenceman P.O Joseph (7) while Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) watches the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks may be without goalie Thatcher Demko for a pair of back-to-back home games this weekend.

The 29-year-old all-star netminder was not on the ice with his teammates at a practice on Friday, and Vancouver has called goalie Jiri Patera up from the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks Friday under emergency conditions.

Head coach Adam Foote says Demko is taking care of himself in a season with a condensed schedule, but did not say he was dealing with an injury.

Demko is 5-4-0 this season with a .912 save percentage, a 2.57 goals-against average.

He missed much of last season after suffering a knee injury in Game 1 of Vancouver’s first-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators in the 2023-24 campaign.

At the end of that season, he was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s best goalie, after going 35-14-2 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2025.