Thatcher Demko’s Injury Leaves Canucks Goaltending In Limbo

The Vancouver Canucks have announced that goaltender Thatcher Demko is questionable with an injury that he suffered in the last day or two, and there are a lot of questions around the injury as Head Coach Rich Tocchet. However, Demko will miss Game 2 tonight with his undisclosed injury. If there is any good news for Canucks fans, it’s that this injury is not related to Demko’s previous injury this season; he did, however, make 22 saves in Vancouver’s 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators in Game 1 on Sunday. In 51 games this season, Demko went 35-14-2 with a 2.45 GAA, .918SV%, and five shutouts, all career highs for the eight-year veteran goaltender. This is a massive loss for the Canucks as for the first time in a long time they have gotten some really strong goaltending in net which has led them to their first Stanley Cup Playoff appearence since 2019.

Vancouver will now hand the reigns over to Casey DeSmith in between the pipes as he is making his second career Stanley Cup Playoff Start, with his first coming on May 3rd vs New York Rangers in a game where he would leave early due to injury. In 29 games this season, DeSmith is 12-9-6 with a 2.89 GAA, .896SV%, and one shutout. Needing another goaltender the Canucks recalled goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Abbotsford Canucks, Silovs spent four games at the NHL level going 3-0-1 with a 2.47 GAA and .881 SV%, in 34 games with Abborsford he went 16-11-6 with 2.74 GAA, .907SV%, and four shutouts.