<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was an eventful morning at Rogers Arena as the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/dhaliwal-vancouver-canucks-called-rangers-chris-kreider">Vancouver Canucks</a> practiced in their own rink for the first time in two weeks. Thatcher Demko had a net to himself and was one of only two goalies on the ice as he works his way closer to his season debut, although it doesn’t sound like that will happen on Friday night.</span></p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thatcher Demko putting in a shift at practice. Going though all the moves and motions of a guy close to his <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> season debut <a href="https://t.co/G9N4zXZFVV">pic.twitter.com/G9N4zXZFVV</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) <a href="https://twitter.com/patersonjeff/status/1864758805764149288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because there are only two nets to tend during practice, the Canucks had Arturs Silvos skate on his own prior to the full group. As it stands right now, Kevin Lankinen and Arturs Silovs are the only two goalies on the Canucks active roster. The team will have to activate Demko from season-opening injured reserve if he is to serve as the backup on Friday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Captain Quinn Hughes was told to stay off the ice by head coach Rick Tocchet. Hughes wanted to practice, but the team understands the benefit of rest for Hughes with his heavy workload with Filip Hronek out of the line-up.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Canucks used Derek Forbort – in a non-contact jersey – as a placeholder for Hughes. Forbort was one of eight defencemen on the ice Thursday morning. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-recall-jonathan-lekkerimaki-cole-mcward-max-sasson-ahl-abbotsford">Max Sasson, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and Cole McWard</a> – all recalled from AHL Abbotsford earlier in the day – also took part in the session. The Canucks were wearing their black skate practice gear as they roll out the popular jersey once again on Friday and for the first three games of this six-game homestand.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tocchet says he is considering using Sasson at centre on Friday. Since his initial call-up, Sasson has skated on the wing in five NHL games. Tocchet says he hasn’t made up his mind on the position switch just yet, but hinted he may want to take a look at Aatu Räty on the wing, as well, giving the young Finn a new challenge at the NHL level.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="fi" dir="ltr">Thursday <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> practice lines </p>
<p>DeBrusk. Pettersson. Boeser.<br />Joshua. Suter. Garland.<br />Höglander. Blueger. Sherwood.<br />Sasson. Räty. Heinen.<br />Lekkerimäki.</p>
<p>Forbort. Myers.<br />Soucy. Juulsen.<br />Brännström. Desharnais.<br />Friedman. McWard.<a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Sportsnet650</a> <a href="https://t.co/SnwCBOl48V">pic.twitter.com/SnwCBOl48V</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Brendan Batchelor (@BatchHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/BatchHockey/status/1864756198555505021?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Canucks open their homestand Friday against Columbus. They’ll be facing the Blue Jackets on the second night of back-to-backs after they play in Edmonton on Thursday. Much of the discussion around the team after practice was about trying to figure out how to play at home like they have on the road. The Canucks are 3-5-3 at Rogers Arena this season, having been outscored 44-32. The three victories on home ice is dead last among all 32 NHL teams.</span></p>
<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">What we heard</span></h1>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thatcher Demko on getting closer to making his season debut: “We’re out of that week to week window now and it’s been a lot of communication with Marco and Tocc (goalie coach Marko Torenius and head coach Rick Tocchet). I think I’m at a point now where I could potentially have a discussion with them and be available to back up or what have you between now and probably the next three games or so. I think that’s kind of the window we’re looking at and we’ll see what each day brings.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rick Tocchet on Thatcher Demko’s availability: “He’s looked really good in practice. He’s in a good space right now. And when he comes and he’s ready to go, I’m all for it. When a guy is getting close, you want to give him the net. Short term, Demmer has to have the net. Full practice. We can’t have him sharing the net.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rick Tocchet on reports that JT Miller has been skating this week: “Yeah, he’s been skating. Like Jim said, it’s between JT and there’s privacy and all that stuff. I’ve talked to him. We have a plan and that’s it. That’s really what it’s up to.”</span></p>
<p>Check out the raw footage of Demko at practice below.</p>
<div class="jetpack-video-wrapper"><iframe loading="lazy" title="Raw Footage: Thatcher Demko practices in black skate gear ahead of Canucks&#039; homestand" width="1424" height="801" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6yjVoeLlZ24?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">It was an eventful morning at Rogers Arena as the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/dhaliwal-vancouver-canucks-called-rangers-chris-kreider">Vancouver Canucks</a> practiced in their own rink for the first time in two weeks. Thatcher Demko had a net to himself and was one of only two goalies on the ice as he works his way closer to his season debut, although it doesn’t sound like that will happen on Friday night.</span>
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&nbsp;

https://twitter.com/patersonjeff/status/1864758805764149288

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Because there are only two nets to tend during practice, the Canucks had Arturs Silvos skate on his own prior to the full group. As it stands right now, Kevin Lankinen and Arturs Silovs are the only two goalies on the Canucks active roster. The team will have to activate Demko from season-opening injured reserve if he is to serve as the backup on Friday.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Captain Quinn Hughes was told to stay off the ice by head coach Rick Tocchet. Hughes wanted to practice, but the team understands the benefit of rest for Hughes with his heavy workload with Filip Hronek out of the line-up.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The Canucks used Derek Forbort – in a non-contact jersey – as a placeholder for Hughes. Forbort was one of eight defencemen on the ice Thursday morning. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-recall-jonathan-lekkerimaki-cole-mcward-max-sasson-ahl-abbotsford">Max Sasson, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, and Cole McWard</a> – all recalled from AHL Abbotsford earlier in the day – also took part in the session. The Canucks were wearing their black skate practice gear as they roll out the popular jersey once again on Friday and for the first three games of this six-game homestand.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Tocchet says he is considering using Sasson at centre on Friday. Since his initial call-up, Sasson has skated on the wing in five NHL games. Tocchet says he hasn’t made up his mind on the position switch just yet, but hinted he may want to take a look at Aatu Räty on the wing, as well, giving the young Finn a new challenge at the NHL level.</span>

https://twitter.com/BatchHockey/status/1864756198555505021

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The Canucks open their homestand Friday against Columbus. They’ll be facing the Blue Jackets on the second night of back-to-backs after they play in Edmonton on Thursday. Much of the discussion around the team after practice was about trying to figure out how to play at home like they have on the road. The Canucks are 3-5-3 at Rogers Arena this season, having been outscored 44-32. The three victories on home ice is dead last among all 32 NHL teams.</span>
<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">What we heard</span></h1>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Thatcher Demko on getting closer to making his season debut: “We’re out of that week to week window now and it’s been a lot of communication with Marco and Tocc (goalie coach Marko Torenius and head coach Rick Tocchet). I think I’m at a point now where I could potentially have a discussion with them and be available to back up or what have you between now and probably the next three games or so. I think that’s kind of the window we’re looking at and we’ll see what each day brings.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Rick Tocchet on Thatcher Demko’s availability: “He’s looked really good in practice. He’s in a good space right now. And when he comes and he’s ready to go, I’m all for it. When a guy is getting close, you want to give him the net. Short term, Demmer has to have the net. Full practice. We can’t have him sharing the net.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Rick Tocchet on reports that JT Miller has been skating this week: “Yeah, he’s been skating. Like Jim said, it’s between JT and there’s privacy and all that stuff. I’ve talked to him. We have a plan and that’s it. That’s really what it’s up to.”</span>

Check out the raw footage of Demko at practice below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yjVoeLlZ24

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Scenes from Canucks practice: Demko on verge of season debut, not expected on Friday

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