Henrik Sedin said the Canucks’ target is to have their goaltender back before Christmas, but no firm timeline has been set after hip surgery in January.
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The Vancouver Canucks are aiming to have goaltender Thatcher Demko back in the lineup before Christmas, co-president of hockey operations Henrik Sedin said Monday, while stressing that the club is working without a fixed return date after Demko underwent hip surgery in January.
Sedin told the “Halford and Brough” show that Demko “won't be ready early on,” but that the organization’s goal is to get him back before Christmas. He added that there is “no timeline for that,” characterizing Demko’s progress as “taking steps every day,” and said the team’s mindset is to ensure Demko is “100 percent” when he returns.
Demko, 30, previously served as the Canucks’ No. 1 goalie but has been limited by lower-body injuries over the past two seasons. In 2023-24, he was a Vezina Trophy finalist, yet he missed the end of that season and all but one game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs due to knee injuries.
The past two seasons have included fewer games for Demko as he dealt with recurring issues. Last season he played 20 games, posting an 8-10-1 record with a 2.90 goals-against average, a .897 save percentage and one shutout before being shut down after his last start on Jan. 10 for the hip surgery.
Demko later described the decision to have surgery as “drastic,” saying the procedure was intended to address an underlying problem that had forced him to play through limitations. In comments to the media shortly after last season ended, he said that during the previous two years he was playing with “zero degrees of internal rotation in my hip,” meaning “everything above and below” was taking a hit, including “the back, it’s the knees, the groin -- everything is trying to do too much work.”
The Canucks’ current approach mirrors how management and coaching staff have spoken about his recovery: they have repeatedly indicated they do not plan to impose a target date. General manager Ryan Johnson said Friday that the team is taking the “correct steps” “once and one time only,” and described “the lack of timeline” as a deliberate part of the process.
Johnson said that setting timelines can create pressure both on the player’s mindset and on the recovery plan. He stated that they are working “step by step, doing it the right way where everybody's comfortable with it,” while adding that if recovery takes longer than expected, the club would still feel comfortable if it is being done correctly.
In addition to the recovery plan for Demko, the Canucks have moved to ensure depth in the crease as the regular season approaches. On Friday, the team claimed goalie Leevi Merilainen off waivers from the Ottawa Senators to serve as additional support behind starting goaltender Kevin Lankinen.
Merilainen is expected to join the Canucks for practice on Monday. The 24-year-old had mixed results with Ottawa last season, going 8-10-1 with a 3.51 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage in 20 games (19 starts).
Merilainen also has more NHL experience than the waiver move might suggest. Selected by the Senators in the third round (No. 71) of the 2020 NHL Draft, he has played 34 NHL games (32 starts), compiling a 16-14-3 record with a 3.00 GAA, an .885 save percentage and three shutouts.
Lankinen is expected to start Vancouver’s season opener against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET, with the game scheduled to be broadcast on SN. The Canucks also plan to face the Oilers again on Thursday when they host Edmonton.
After the back-to-back stretch with Edmonton, Vancouver is set to continue its early schedule with two more consecutive games. The Canucks play the Calgary Flames on Saturday and then the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.
Demko’s earlier NHL track record provides context for why the club’s goal of returning him to full health remains central. Over his tenure in Vancouver, he is 134-99-21 with a 2.81 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 262 games (256 starts), all with the Canucks.
Sedin said the organization’s long-term priority is the same as it has been since surgery: a return that is medically sound rather than rushed. With Demko continuing to take part in the recovery process and with no firm timetable from management, the immediate responsibility for Vancouver’s goaltending in the opening weeks of the season falls to Lankinen, with Merilainen joining camp readiness and practice.
Demko stayed in Vancouver during the offseason to rehab and, according to the information available, has not spoken with the media since the end of last season. The club’s public message remains that it will take the steps it believes are necessary for a sustainable return, with the broader aspiration set for a return window before the Christmas period.
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