Canucks Get Some Bad News About Thatcher Demko

There was some news about Thatcher Demko on Thursday, although Canucks fans probably won’t be surprised. Demko has been placed on injured reserve with his hip injury, and the expectation now is that he won't be ready to start the 2026-27 season. That isn't exactly a shock. The Canucks had already said he wouldn't be a full participant at training camp, and Kevin Lankinen was expected to start the season in his place.

Still, seeing a starting goalie officially moved to injured reserve has a way of making things feel a little more real.

Maybe This Isn't the Worst Thing for the Canucks.

Whenever a team's No. 1 goalie is injured, there's a temptation to start counting the days until he gets back. With Demko, though, that may not be the best way to look at it. This is a player who has had a pretty rough couple of seasons physically. He played just 23 games in 2024-25 and then managed only 20 last season before undergoing hip surgery. The Canucks have already made it clear that the priority is getting him healthy, not setting a timetable for his return.

That makes sense. The Canucks don't need Thatcher Demko for Game 1 of the regular season nearly as much as they need Thatcher Demko healthy when he is actually ready to play. Sometimes hockey teams get themselves into trouble by treating an opening-night lineup like some sort of finish line. It isn't. It's one game. And, with the team rebuilding, it isn’t the worst time to have him rehabbing.

Lankinen Gets Another Turn in the Crease.

And this is where Kevin Lankinen becomes an interesting part of the story. He was signed to be Demko's backup, but he's essentially been the Canucks' starter for much of the past two seasons because Demko hasn't been able to stay healthy. Sportsnet reported that Lankinen is ready to shoulder the load again, and the Canucks are expected to lean on him when the season opens. He looked good in the team’s 3-1 preseason loss to the Calgary Flames.

That isn't necessarily ideal. Lankinen had a difficult 2025-26 season, and Vancouver's defensive problems certainly didn't make his job any easier. But this isn't last year's team anymore. The Canucks have a new coaching staff and are trying to build a different kind of hockey club. So maybe there is a little experiment here.

Patience Is the Key Word for the Canucks’ Goalie Situation.

Let Lankinen play. Let Demko take his time. Don't rush the goalie everyone wants to see. The Canucks need Demko to be good. More importantly, they need him to be healthy. And if taking a few more weeks—or however long it takes—to get there is the price, well, this might be one of those cases where patience is actually part of the plan.

The opening night lineup matters. But October isn't the season. And Thatcher Demko being healthy when the games really matter is a whole lot more important.