2 weeks Ago
The Vancouver Canucks' 2024-25 training camp has officially begun and a lot of the attention has been on goaltender Thatcher Demko. The veteran netminder has been dealing with a knee injury this offseason and the issue might be irreparable , according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman on Sept. 6.
The Canucks are counting on Demko to recover as quickly as possible and fans were hoping for more insight now that camp is underway. Although the 28-year-old goalie had an update regarding his situation following Thursday's practice, it likely isn't what Vancouver fans wanted to hear. "I would say it hasn't been linear," Demko said to reporters about his recovery, per TSN's Farhan Lalji.
"There's a lack of research. I don't know too much about what this looks like full picture at the end of the process." Demko talks about the uniqueness of his injury, they haven’t found another hockey player that’s had this injury.
He still doesn’t have a timeline and also discusses the Ian Clark situation. #Canucks pic.twitter.
com/QbI4FWKtyg Demko added that he's confident that he can get to "100 percent" health, but that might be hard for Canucks fans to believe. Between Friedman saying that the netminder might have to adapt to the pain and Demko being unsure of the injury itself, there could be a chance that he never fully heals. What's even more concerning is that Demko described the injury as being "rare and unique" and that the team couldn't find any other hockey player who's dealt with it, per Friedman.
Bob Frid-Imagn Images Knee injuries plagued Demko throughout the 2023-24 NHL season. The former 2014 second-round pick missed the majority of March with a knee issue before missing all but one game during the Canucks' postseason run once the injury became too much to handle again. When healthy, Demko is one of the best goaltenders on the planet.
The experienced puck-stopper proved that when he finished second in the 2024 Vezina Trophy voting after going 35-14-2 with a 2.45 goals-against average (GAA), .918 save percentage (SV%) and five shutouts in 51 appearances with Vancouver.
Thatcher Demko goes post to post and makes an incredible save! #Canucks | #Preds 📽️: Sportsnet | NHL pic.twitter.com/RGAzZfmrZ2 Until Demko is cleared to play, Arturs Silovs will potentially open the 2024-25 season as the Canucks' No.
1 goaltender. The 23-year-old netminder has made nine appearances for Vancouver across the last two seasons, tallying a 6-2-1 record, 2.62 GAA and .
898 SV%. In the meantime, here's a look at how some concerned Canucks fans are reacting to the news. "No timeline is terrible news for the Canucks," one pessimistic fan replied to Friedman.
No timeline is terrible news for the #Canucks "No timeline. That stinks," said another concerned fan. "Are we ever going to see Thatcher at 100 percent for a full season?" No timeline.
This stinks. Are we ever going to see Thatcher at 100% for a full season 🥲 "Maybe he shouldn't have been practicing in the second round after all..
." another disappointed Canucks supporter chimed in. Maybe he shouldn’t have been practicing in the 2nd round after all.
.. Demko has less than a month to heal up if he wants to play in Vancouver's season opener.
The Canucks' 2024-25 campaign begins at home when they face the rival Calgary Flames on Oct. 9..
