Thatcher Demko’s 2026-27 season won’t be starting on time.
The Vancouver Canucks goaltender won't be an active participant at the start of training camp, general manager Ryan Johnson announced Wednesday.
"He's going to be with the group there and on the ice," Johnson added. "He will not be with any of the main group, and not by any means is this a setback.
It's a part of our process.
"I talked with (Demko) yesterday again, as we've communicated all summer, making sure we're both aligned organizationally."
Demko underwent season-ending hip surgery in late January.
The 30-year-old goaltender was injured in Vancouver's loss to the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Jan. 10.
"We never had a timeline on his recovery," Johnson said."We just wanted to make sure that it was a one-time thing, and that when he got back, he felt 100 per cent and ready to go."
Demko, who signed a three-year, $25.5-million extension with the Canucks on July 1, 2025, went 8-10-1 with an .897 save percentage, a 2.90 goals-against average and one shutout last season.
He missed 12 games between mid-November and mid-December with a lower-body injury, then returned and appeared in 10 more contests before going down against Toronto.
It marked the second straight injury-plagued season for the star goalie.
In 2024-25, Demko played just 23 games after missing the first three months of the season due to a knee injury.
His best season came in 2023-24, when he was a Vezina finalist after going 35-14-2 with a .918 save percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts.
If Demko is forced to miss the start of the season, Kevin Lankinen is expected to take over the No. 1 role for the Canucks.
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