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Scenes from morning skate: Demko starts, Lekkerimäki and Mancini full participants ahead of Canucks vs. Jets
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Photo credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Jeff Paterson
Nov 11, 2025, 14:52 ESTUpdated: Nov 11, 2025, 23:22 EST
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The Vancouver Canucks (8-8-1) wrap up a four-game homestand when they host the Winnipeg Jets (9-6) at Rogers Arena. The Canucks get their ace in goal back as Thatcher Demko starts after taking the weekend off to tend to a minor medical issue. It sets up a star-studded goaltending match-up with Connor Hellebuyck between the pipes at the other end of the ice.

What we know

The Canucks had a number of extra bodies on the ice this morning as the team continues to get healthier by the day. Thatcher Demko was joined at morning skate by Jonathan Lekkerimäki and Victor Mancini. Both have been out of the lineup for a couple of weeks, and both had shed their non-contact jerseys and were full participants in this morning’s session. Neither Lekkerimäki nor Mancini will play tonight, but both could travel with the team on its upcoming road trip.
Aside from Demko returning to the net, there will be no lineup changes for the Canucks tonight. The team had three healthy goalies on the ice this morning, with Kevin Lankinen and Jiri Patera sharing a net.
The Canucks are coming off a spirited 5-4 overtime loss to Colorado on Sunday. Kiefer Sherwood scored his team-leading 10th of the season while Jake DeBrusk, Drew O’Connor and Linus Karlsson also scored. DeBrusk and O’Connor have both scored in back to back games while Karlsson netted his first of the season. After a sluggish start, DeBrusk is heating up with goals in three of his last four games. Meanwhile, O’Connor’s goal came shorthanded in the second period and gives the winger four goals and three assists in his last six outings.
Team scoring leader Conor Garland is set to appear in his 500th NHL game tonight. He has 79 goals and 207 points in 335 games as a Canuck. 
The penalty kill continues to be a concern. The Canucks surrendered a pair of power play goals for the sixth time this season on Sunday and have now allowed a league-high 18 power play goals against. Their PK enters the night 31st in the league at 67.9%.

The Opponent

The Jets scuffle into town on a three-game losing streak following a 4-1 setback in Anaheim on Sunday. In three games in California last week, Winnipeg was outscored 9-2. Kyle Connor had the team’s lone goal against the Ducks while Eric Comrie allowed four goals on 21 shots. 
Tonight is the fourth game of a six-game road trip that will continue to Seattle and Calgary. The Jets don’t play their next home game until next Tuesday.
Mark Scheifele leads Winnipeg in scoring with 21 points. He and Connor share the team lead with nine goals apiece.
Reigning Hart and Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck has performed as expected. He’s started 11 of Winnipeg’s 15 games posting a 2.30 GAA and .922 save percentage. He gets the nod in net tonight.
The Jets started the season without a couple of key pieces. Captain Adam Lowry has played just three games and Cole Perfetti made his season debut on Sunday. Jonathan Toews has two goals and seven points through 15 games in his return to the NHL.
A couple of former Canucks come back to town tonight. Luke Schenn and Tanner Pearson are both mainstays in the Winnipeg lineup. Pearson has a couple of goals and an assist while Schenn is still looking for his first point in 12 games this season.

News and notes

The Canucks went 1-2 against Winnipeg last season with the home team winning on all three occasions. These teams will meet twice more this season 10 days apart out of the Olympic break (February 25th and March 7th).
Forward Elias Pettersson will celebrate his 27th birthday tomorrow. Aatu Räty (November 14th) and Linus Karlsson (November 16th) also have birthdays later this week.
After tonight, the Canucks will travel to Carolina on Wednesday. They face the Hurricanes on Friday, Tampa Bay on Sunday and the Florida Panthers on Monday.
The referees for tonight’s game are Tom Chmielewski and Graedy Hamilton.

What we heard

Adam Foote on what he appreciates about Conor Garland’s path to 500 NHL games: “Well, he’s resilient. He’s there because of how he’s raised. He’s raised the right way. He grinds, he competes, he doesn’t quit on pucks. I think the rest of the group loves that about him. He leads by example. He’s fun to be around. He holds guys accountable in his own way. He’s coming into a nice leadership role and it’s nice to see him have success.”
Marcus Pettersson on getting Thatcher Demko back in goal: “It’s huge. He’s had a great start to the season here. Kev, playing back-to-back as a goalie nowadays is tough, and he did a great job for us and got three out of four points against two pretty good teams. But Demmer has looked so good early on in the year here and it’s a boost every time we get somebody back in the lineup.”
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