Vancouver Canucks goalie Demko nears return from injury

Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko comes out of the net to play the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets, in Vancouver, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks could get a key player back in the lineup this week as goalie Thatcher Demko inches closer to recovering from a lower-body injury.

Demko practised with teammates on Tuesday and described the injury as “a minor tweak of something.”

“I feel good. Been able to skate with the team the last few days here,” he said. ”Feel ready to go.”

The all-star netminder will practice again Wednesday and, if everything goes well, he’ll return to the lineup Thursday when Vancouver (11-16-3) hosts the Buffalo Sabres, said head coach Adam Foote. 

“He’s a number 1 goalie in this league and he’s going to do what he does in this league,” Foote said. “It’ll be good to have him back when he’s ready.”

The 30-year-old American is 5-4-0 this season with a .903 save percentage and a 2.80 goals-against average.

He last played on Nov. 11 when he started against the Winnipeg Jets after missing three previous games with another ailment. 

Demko was spotted stretching his lower body in the crease midway through the first period, but played the entire period and gave up three goals on eight shots. He did not return for the second. 

Getting hurt again so quickly was frustrating, admitted the goalie, who missed much of last season recovering from a knee injury. 

“I was sitting there pretty much just beating myself up for a week and you feel guilty and you feel bummed out and you feel (angry) and all those things,” he said. “It’s part of the game. And I can only control so much at the end of the day. 

“I know I’m doing everything humanly possible preparation wise, education wise. I have a great team that surrounds me and helps me to make sure that I’m ready to play. And I’m the guy who feels it the most when things don’t turn out the way we want it to.”

Demko’s absence is one of many for the Canucks this season. He was one of five players on Vancouver’s injured list for a 4-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Monday. 

Star centre Elias Pettersson also missed the game with an upper-body injury. 

The team has struggled with the absences and sat 31st in the league heading into Tuesday’s games. 

Demko said he’s seen good signs from the group recently. 

“I think they’ve been playing pretty well the last handful of games. Some of the bounces and things, it’s getting old. Especially for the spectators,” he said. 

When your team isn’t winning, it’s especially hard to be sidelined, Demko added. 

“If the team’s going to go through rough patches, you want to be a part of that,” he said. “Whether you’re winning or losing games, there’s nothing worse than sitting out.”

This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith of The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2025.