Demko to miss full role at Canucks training camp as hip recovery continues under GM Ryan Johnson

The Story

Vancouver Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson says goaltender Thatcher Demko will not be a full participant at the start of training camp this week, even though the 30-year-old is expected to be with the team on the ice as part of the organization’s process.

Johnson made the update on Wednesday morning, framing the situation as a scheduled part of Demko’s rehabilitation rather than a sudden change in plans. Demko is expected to be present with the group at training camp, but not integrated into the main group’s on-ice work at the outset.

The decision follows Demko’s offseason recovery after season-ending hip surgery. Johnson pointed to the club’s approach during the summer as aligning on expectations for his return, adding that they had been communicating to ensure both the player and the organization were on the same page.

Demko underwent the procedure in late January after being injured during Vancouver’s loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 10. The injury ended the goaltender’s season early and set up the recovery period that now affects the start of training camp.

Johnson said the Canucks did not set a specific timeline for when Demko would be ready, emphasizing instead that the goal was for him to feel fully prepared when he returned. In that context, the training-camp adjustment is tied to readiness and preparedness rather than immediate availability.

Contract and performance context underline the stakes for the Canucks. Demko signed a three-year, $25.5-million extension with Vancouver on July 1, 2025, and the club’s planning depends heavily on whether their No. 1 goaltender can resume a full workload as the season begins.

Statistically, Demko recorded an 8-10-1 record with a .897 save percentage, a 2.90 goals-against average and one shutout last season. His season was affected by injury timing as well, including a lower-body issue that sidelined him for 12 games between mid-November and mid-December before he returned and played 10 more contests prior to the Toronto injury.

Demko’s recent stretch includes another season interrupted by health. In 2024-25, he played only 23 games, missing the first three months due to a knee injury, making the 2026-27 start another potential chapter in an injury-plagued run.

For Vancouver’s immediate planning, Johnson’s comments include a clear contingency: if Demko is forced to miss the start of the season, Kevin Lankinen is expected to take over the No. 1 role. That expectation matters for the team’s early-season preparation, including how the club structures goaltending reps and workload during any period where Demko is not fully participating.

For Vancouver or Canadian hockey fans tracking what happens in the September-to-October transition, training camp timing is often the first concrete signal of a team’s early risks. Johnson’s statement suggests the Canucks intend to manage Demko’s return carefully, keeping him on site while limiting his role at the beginning so that he can build back into a full workload in line with the recovery goals rather than rushing a return for camp only.