- Rick Dhaliwal says he doesn’t know if Thatcher Demko will be ready for Canucks camp
- Elliotte Friedman reported there is no firm timeline on the goalie’s hip recovery
- Read below for what another Demko absence would mean for Vancouver’s crease
Thatcher Demko is back on the ice. Whether he’s ready when Vancouver Canucks training camp opens next month is a different question entirely.
CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal was asked about Demko’s recovery during a Canucks Conversation appearance, and he didn’t dress up where things stand.
“Thatcher Demko is on the ice skating, working hard. I don’t know if he’s going to be ready for training camp, it’s always a long road after you have hip surgery. There’s also no need to rush him. Do not play that guy until he’s 100% healthy.”
Watch Dhaliwal walk through the Canucks’ summer, Demko included:
Elliotte Friedman landed in the same place on an NHL Network appearance, saying there is no firm timeline on the goalie’s return.
That’s a shift from where this sat two weeks ago. Demko went down midseason with a hip injury that required surgery, and Patrik Allvin, the general manager at the time, figured getting the procedure done right away would have his starter ready for September. Vancouver’s early-August outlook still had him tracking for camp.
The health record is what makes this sting. Demko has played 43 games total across the last two seasons, 23 in 2024-25 and 20 more last year, so the Canucks have gone a long stretch without their best goalie available.
Getting him whole matters more than getting him back for opening night:
Kevin Lankinen takes the crease if Demko isn’t cleared. The 31-year-old won 25 games with a 2.62 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage in 2024-25, then slid to 3.70 and .875 across 47 appearances last season.
Nikita Tolopilo is the other option. He got into 21 games last year and posted a 3.61 GAA with a .881 save percentage, which is fine for a short run and rough for anything longer.
Demko is also starting a new three-year, $25.5 million extension this season, an $8.5 million cap hit that runs through 2028-29 with full no-movement protection attached.
A rebuilding team has no reason to push an $8.5 million goalie through a hip rehab on a deadline. Camps open next month, and the Canucks would rather have Demko in November than have him break down again in October.
