The Vancouver Canucks were in desperate need of some good news amidst all the trade chatter, and they got it on Tuesday with the update that starting goaltender Thatcher Demko would return after a lengthy injury absence. Demko has been on injured reserve since November 14 with a lower-body injury. However, he is set to return for Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Sabres, according to Canucks broadcaster Brendan Batchelor via X, formerly known as Twitter.
This year's lower-body injury was another in a long line of issues for the Canucks' goaltender. Demko, at his best, can be one of the top goaltenders in the league, as he has shown during a successful 2023-24 season, but he has struggled to stay healthy for most of his career. Lower-body injuries are the worst for a goaltender, and once they start piling up like Demko's, there will be questions about his longevity.
The injury came at a terrible time for the Canucks' starter, as he was in the midst of a bounce-back season. After his struggles during the 2024-25 campaign, Demko owned a 2.80 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage through the first 10 games of the season. It was still a far cry from the numbers early in his NHL career, but it was a step in the right direction.
The Canucks currently sit second-last in the Western Conference, just one point ahead of the Nashville Predators. It'll take a lot more than the numbers Thatcher Demko had before his injury to get them out of the basement, but it'll be a welcome sight for Canucks fans to see their starting goaltender back and healthy.
