Thatcher Demko will have hip surgery and miss the remainder of the season for the Vancouver Canucks.
“After consulting with our team doctors and outside specialists, Thatcher Demko will be shut down for the rest of the year,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said Tuesday. “Thatcher will undergo surgery next week for an injury unrelated to the one that kept him out of action last season. Following his rehab, he will be ready for the start of training camp in September.”
Demko hasn’t played since allowing three goals on six shots before getting replaced by Kevin Lankinen to start the second period of a 5-0 loss at the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 10. Allvin said 10 days later that the Canucks were “taking opinions from other resources around the world to see what needs to be done.”
The 30-year-old had missed a month (Nov. 11-Dec. 11) because of another lower-body injury.
He’s 8-10-1 with a 2.91 goals-against average, .897 save percentage and one shutout in 20 games this season.
Lankinen (7-16-4, 3.44 GAA, .884 save percentage in 28 games), named to Team Finland’s roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, likely will take over as starter, with Nikita Tolopilo and Jiri Patera as backup options.
