Vancouver Canucks fans can breathe a little easier knowing star goaltender Thatcher Demko could be back in-between the pipes before the playoffs.
The potential Vezina candidate confirmed it was a knee injury that’s kept him sidelined for more than a month.
“I feel fine, I don’t know if I’m playing Saturday, and yes, it was a knee injury,” Demko told the media after practice Thursday.
The goaltender last played on March 9 against the Winnipeg Jets, a game in which the netminder left in the second period.
Demko says it’s been a team effort to get him back into game shape.
“The last four weeks have been double sessions coming in, and again, like I said, I really appreciate the staff matching my determination to get back,” he said. “I’m asking a lot of them.”
The 28-year-old has been critical to the Canucks’ success so far this season, boasting a 34-13-2 record with a .917 save percentage and 2.47 goals-against average.
Vancouver, backed by Casey DeSmith and Arturs Silovs, has put up a mediocre record of 6-5-2 since Demko went down.
Although the two-time all-star is still happy with where the team is at.
“We’re in a great spot right now and I feel very fortunate to be in the position that I am in,” Demko told reporters.
Canucks’ head coach Rick Tocchet wouldn’t say if Demko will get the call for the team’s next game against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, a game which could most certainly decide Vancouver’s fate as Pacific Divison champions or not.
“At this point, I honestly don’t know. I haven’t talked to Thatcher. I thought he looked really good,” Tocchet said.
However, Demko did allude to the fact that he has talked to the coaching staff about getting the nod for Tuesday’s game against the Calgary Flames.
“The timeline that we’ve been trying to follow, and pushing for, is the Calgary game,” Demko said.
The Vancouver Canucks are gearing up for their first playoff appearance since the COVID shortened 2019-20 season, when the team lost in the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Edmonton bubble.
Vancouver last hosted a playoff game at Rogers Arena in 2015.