Thatcher Demko has missed 12 games with a lower-body injury
The Vancouver Canucks are expected to get a massive boost to their lineup when they face the Buffalo Sabres. After missing the last 12 games with a lower-body injury, Thatcher Demko is projected to return to the net on Thursday. Demko was injured back on November 11, which was his first game back after missing a few days with what the club describe as "maintenance".
During Demko's absence, the Canucks have struggled to pick up wins. Vancouver is 3-7-2, while their 3.75 goals against per game is the fourth-highest in the league as of November 12. After practice on Tuesday, Demko met with the media and spoke about just how frustrating it has been to watch these last 12 games from the sidelines.
"That's kind of the urge to get back," said Demko. "You'd rather be in there losing with them, if they're. I think they've been playing pretty well the last handful of games. Some of the bounces and things, it's just like it's getting old, especially as a spectator. So if the team's gonna go through rough patches, you want to be a part of that. And whether you're winning or losing games, there's nothing worse than sitting out."
Coming into the season, one of the big storylines surrounding the Canucks was Demko's health. The 30-year-old only played 23 games last season and has been limited to just 10 games this year due to injury. As Demko pointed out, injuries are a problem for athletes regardless of how much work is put in behind the scenes.
"Any guy can go through and have a great summer and then get hurt. I am sitting there, you know, pretty much just beat myself up for a week. And you feel guilty and feel bummed out and pissed off and all those things. But it's part of the game, and I can only control so much. At the end of the day, I know that I'm doing everything humanly possible, preparation-wise, education-wise. I have a great team that surrounds me and helps me do what I can to make sure that I'm ready to play. I'm the guy who feels it the most when things don't turn out the way we want it to. But yeah, I've been working hard and ready to go."
After Monday's loss, Vancouver dropped to 11-16-3 on the season and woke up on Tuesday in last place based on point percentage. While it has not been an ideal first 30 games, the Canucks are still in striking distance of the playoffs, as they sit just six points below the second Wild Card spot. While Demko would not give a firm yes or no when asked if the team could turn around the season, he did point out that a long winning streak could change the narrative this year.
"Who knows? I mean, I can't sit here and say yes, I can't, you know, sit here and definitely say no. So be nice to win on Thursday. It's a weird league like that. And especially with the schedule, I think it even adds to the unpredictability. Teams can rattle off seven or eight like we've seen this year. So no reason that can't be us. But again, it's just one game at a time."
When on his game, Demko is one of the top goaltenders in the NHL. He is not just a key part of the team this year, but also the future, as his three-year extension kicks in on July 1. The hope moving forward is that Demko's injuries are behind him and he can return to his Vezina-calibre play starting on Thursday night.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:
Canucks Defenceman Jett Woo Clears Waivers, Will Return To AHL
Canucks Officially Register Worst 30-Game Start To Season In 5 Years
Report: The Vancouver Canucks Nearly Made A Draft-Day Trade For Marco Rossi
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
