Demko Limited at Start of Canucks Camp, Johnson Says

Thatcher Demko will not be a full participant when Vancouver opens training camp, general manager Ryan Johnson announced Wednesday.

"He's going to be with the group there and on the ice," Johnson said. "He will not be with any of the main group, and not by any means is this a setback. It's a part of our process."

Johnson said the two stayed in regular contact through the summer. "I talked with (Demko) yesterday again, as we've communicated all summer, making sure we're both aligned organizationally."

The 30-year-old goaltender was injured in Vancouver's loss to the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Jan. 10 and did not return last season. The Canucks announced later that month that he would undergo hip surgery.

"We never had a timeline on his recovery," Johnson said. "We just wanted to make sure that it was a one-time thing, and that when he got back, he felt 100 per cent and ready to go."

Demko went 8-10-1 with an .897 save percentage, a 2.90 goals-against average and one shutout last season. He also missed 12 games between mid-November and mid-December with a lower-body injury, then appeared in 10 more games before the January injury.

His 2023-24 season remains the benchmark. Demko was a Vezina Trophy finalist after going 35-14-2 with a .918 save percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts. He signed a three-year, $25.5 million extension with Vancouver on July 1, 2025.

If Demko is not ready for the start of the season, Kevin Lankinen is expected to handle the No. 1 job.