Vancouver Canucks Goaltender Thatcher Demko Opens Up on Injury-Filled Season
Photo credit: Bob Frid - USA TODAY Sports
Thatcher Demko took some time to reflect on a difficult 2024-25 season when meeting with reporters for his year-end media availability on Friday in Vancouver.
The last 12 months have been tough for Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko mainly due to injuries including one he suffered to his knee during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which delayed his start to the season until early December.
Demko worked extremely hard to get back and just two months after his return, sustained another injury which kept him out of the lineup for a little over six weeks.
Thatcher Demko opens up on tough season, looking forward to being healthy this summer
When speaking with reporters on Friday, Demko was asked about how he felt following a season that he was limited to just 23 games due to injuries.
Demko acknowledged that it was a tough year and it was frustrating for him both mentally and physically, adding that he's excited to go into the summer healthy, which will definitely help him in preparations for the 2025-26 campaign.
"I mean, obviously, came into it in a tough situation. It was a frustrating year. Just tough mentally, physically. But you know, I felt like I came out of that second injury feeling really good about where I was headed, in the direction of just kind of educating myself on where I was at physically. I'm excited to be going into the summer healthy and feeling really good. And I think that was really important. Something that I was focused on, kind of coming down the stretch here. So I'm really excited to move forward and feeling really good." Demko said.
Despite the difficult season, Demko's confidence never wavered and he believes that he's still capable of being one of the top goaltenders in the National Hockey League and challenging for the Vezina Trophy, which he was a runner-up for in 2024.
"I don't see myself as, like, a different guy. I still know that I'm capable of playing that way, you know, being a Vezina nominee. Last summer, I had no idea what was going on, quite frankly. And I think that played a role or had a toll on me mentally and physically, obviously. I have a team around me now, of a lot of smart minds that are kind of contributing to building a plan for me. And like I said, just going in the summer feeling really healthy and feeling excited to get back in the gym and build myself back up." Demko said.
With Demko now back at 100 percent healthy and a full offseason of training ahead of him, he certainly has the potential of getting back to the top of his game and being in the conversation as one of the best in the NHL.
Next season will will be the last of Thatcher Demko's contract, meaning he's eligible for an extension as of July 1st and it's going to be interesting to see if the two sides get a deal done quickly or if the Canucks netminder will bet on himself and hope for a big payday, in Vancouver or elsewhere, in the summer of 2026.
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