The 2024-25 season was a complicated for Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko. After finishing as the runner-up for the Vezina Trophy in 2024, the 29-year-old missed large portions of the season due to multiple injuries. In the end, Demko was only able to play 23 games, posting a 10-8-3 record while recording one shutout.
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As mentioned, Demko dealt with multiple injuries throughout the season. He missed the first month and a half with a popliteus injury, and then an additional month and a half in February and March with a knee injury. When reflecting on the season, Demko spoke about how the injuries did not just cause issues physically, but also what he had to go through mentally this season.
"I mean, obviously, came into it in a tough situation," said Demko. "It was a frustrating year. Just tough mentally, physically. But you know, I felt like I came out of that second injury feeling really good about where I was headed, in the direction of just kind of educating myself on where I was at physically. I'm excited to be going into the summer healthy and feeling really good. And I think that was really important. Something that I was focused on, kind of coming down the stretch here. So I'm really excited to move forward and feeling really good."
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Thatcher Demko referred to the injury as unique, as only a handful of soccer players have experienced a similar injury.
The 2024 off-season was complicated for Demko, as very few athletes worldwide have had to deal with a popliteus injury. Since there was no playbook on how to recover from the injury, Demko couldn't properly train during the summer, which caused issues at the start of the season. Now that he is healthy, Demko is looking forward to starting his training and getting back to becoming one of the top goaltenders in the NHL.
"I don't see myself as, like, a different guy. I still know that I'm capable of playing that way, you know, being a Vezina nominee. Last summer, I had no idea what was going on, quite frankly. And I think that played a role or had a toll on me mentally and physically, obviously. I have a team around me now, of a lot of smart minds that are kind of contributing to building a plan for me. And like I said, just going in the summer feeling really healthy and feeling excited to get back in the gym and build myself back up."
The 2025-26 season is an important one for Demko. Not only does he need to show that his injury issues are behind him, but he is also a pending unrestricted free agent. As Demko explained, his goal is to stay in Vancouver long-term and let his agent deal with any contract talk that may come up in the next few months.
"I've always wanted to be a Canuck since day one. I want to be here. Obviously, drafted here, and, yeah, I mean, I'd like to get an extension done and stay here. Obviously, that's something that Patrick and my agent will start talking about, but, you know, I'll let them focus on that, I'm focused on getting myself back to where I know he can be, and everything will play itself out."
As for next season, the Canucks could have one of the top goaltending duos in the NHL. Kevin Lankinen had a very strong season, which led to him signing a five-year extension with the organization earlier this year. According to Demko, he is looking forward to working with Lankinen next season as they both try to help Vancouver qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I think Lanks deserved every dollar he got. He had a great season for us this year. He kept us alive, quite frankly, through stretches of the season, and he's been a great goalie partner for me. I've really enjoyed working with him and having him around/ Yeah, they committed to him, and I don't think that changes where I feel, or how I feel about coming back or being here. Like I said, I've enjoyed working with him, and I think that relationship can be really healthy."
Ultimately, when Demko is healthy, he is one of the top goaltenders in the NHL. His unique flexibility allows him to make saves that few others can, while his composure has led to many wins over his Canucks tenure. If Demko can have a strong summer, there is little doubt that he can return to his Vezina-calibre self in 2025-26.
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