Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced on Tuesday that goaltender Thatcher Demko will undergo hip surgery and be out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. Demko last played on January 10 and is expected to be ready for training camp.
Demko is done for the season
Demko's last action was in a 5-0 loss against the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 10, allowing three goals on six shots. Demko had previously missed a month from November 11, 2025 until December 11. 2025, with a lower-body injury. This season, Demko is 8-10-1 with a 2.91 goals against average, an .897 save percentage, and one shutout. Demko has been injury-prone over the past few seasons and it will be intersting to see how they handle him once he returns.
What happens with the goaltending now?
Until we have a clearer picture of what Allvin wants to do, goaltender Kevin Lankinen will be the starter. This season, Lankinen is 7-16-4 with a 3.44 goals against average and an .884 save percentage. Nikita Tolopilo (2-3, 3.98, .891) and Jiri Patera (0-1, 7.39, .825) will compete for the backup position.
Vancouver's cap space is $1.984 million so they do not have a lot of options to sign a goaltender. One option could be to make a trade with the deadline coming up. Players who are unrestricted free agents and could be on the move in a trade include Evander Kane, Teddy Blueger, David Kampf, and Derek forbort. If all Allvin wants is a big-name goaltender he may want to dabble in moving a forward with Elias Pettersson, who has an $11.6 average annual value. A move of this sginificance could net a quality goaltender and move cap spacce at the same time.
Goaltending options for the Canucks include Petr Mrazek (Anaheim Ducks), Cam Talbot (Detroit Red Wings), Connor Ingram (Edmonton Oilers), Jonathan Quick (New York Rangers), and Frederik Andersen (Carolina Hurricanes). Another option would be for Allvin to contact the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh has four quality goaltenders in Stuart Skinner, Arturs Silovs, Joel Blomqvist, and Sergei Murashev. Skinner, Silovs, and Blomqvist have all started before Murashev has seen playing time with the Penguins. The Penguins could also use scoring. Could we see Pettersson to the Penguins for a goaltender?
Vancouver may want to look for a goaltender to replace Demko. When he does return there is no guarantee he will be healthy at any point. Vancouver may be better off replacing him instead of hoping for the best. Demko is solid when he is healthy but he has missed too much time for him to come back and be a full-time starter. Skinner may fit that role becuase he was a starter for teh Oilers but will Pittsburgh want to give him up instead of re-signing him?
Allvin has to take a long hard look at his goaltending situation, both at the NHL level and the American Hockey League level, and see what is best for teh organization. With the organization desperate for a tweaked roster, the goaltedning position may eb next after Kiefer Sherwood and Quinn Hughes were dealt.