On yesterday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal were joined by journalist Kevin Woodley to discuss the latest updates on the Vancouver Canucks’ goaltending situation. The conversation centred around Thatcher Demko’s recovery, potential backup goalie options, and what to expect from Demko once he returns to the lineup.
Addressing the reports that Thatcher Demko is back on the ice, Kevin Woodley provided insight into what this actually means for his recovery timeline. He emphasized, “This is still Thatcher Demko. The same guy who was back on the ice two games before the start of the playoffs after three weeks from an injury that’s usually 4-6. You can be on the ice skating, but until that includes movement from the knees, open looks, reacting to shots, dropping into the butterfly, it doesn’t necessarily change his timeline.”
Woodley acknowledged Demko’s dedication to his recovery but remained cautious about drawing conclusions. “Very few guys work as hard as Demko, so I wouldn’t count him out, but that doesn’t change the information presented up to this point,” he added.
The discussion then turned to the idea of shoring up the goaltending position given the lingering injury situation with both Demko and Arturs Silovs, who has some inflammation in his knee. Woodley stated, “It all depends on the information they have which inherently will be better than the information I have. As soon as I heard PTO, I thought the start of the season might be realistic because you’re not locking yourself into a contract.”
He also commented on the Canucks’ reported contract offer to Kevin Lankinen, suggesting that it might have been a low-ball offer due to the market conditions. Woodley explained, “Statistically beyond Stolarz and Brossoit, [Lankinen] should’ve been the best backup option for any team, [but] everybody after those two only got a million bucks or so, and [Lankinen] was coming off a contract that made him 2. The reality is, Kevin Lankinen is probably better than a good third of the league’s backups right now.”
Woodley also mentioned the possibility of acquiring a goaltender via waivers, noting that some teams have three NHL-caliber goaltenders under contract. This, he suggested, could provide the Canucks with an opportunity to see where Demko stands in his recovery before making a final decision.
The idea of carrying three goalies and even a practice goalie on the roster was another topic of conversation. However, Woodley was quick to dismiss the feasibility of this for the Canucks, stating, “It’s a cap thing, and this team doesn’t have the space to pull it off so it’s a non-starter there.”
He did mention that while some teams have experimented with travelling practice goalies, the logistics and preferences of NHL shooters complicate the matter. “NHL shooters want to shoot on NHL goalies. They don’t want some low-level beer league scrub like myself between the pipes,” Woodley quipped.
Finally, Woodley speculated on what Demko’s workload might look like when he returns. “It’ll all depend on where you are as a team. They’re so much better defensively under Rick Tocchet, which should mean it’s easier to not lean as heavily on Demko as they have in the past,” he said.
Reflecting on Demko’s workload last season, Woodley noted, “For the next 30 games [after the All-Star break], he was on a 65-game pace. He may disagree, but given the last couple of years, that’s probably too much.” He suggested a more manageable workload in the 55-game range, which would help ensure a healthy Demko down the stretch. Additionally, Woodley pointed out that Demko is likely to be a key player for Team USA in the Four Nations Cup, a factor that the Canucks will need to consider when planning his workload.
You can watch the full segment below:
