CanucksArmy has no direct affiliation to the Vancouver Canucks, Canucks Sports & Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
Canucks summer faceoff: Which is more likely – Öhgren 40 points or Demko 40 starts?
Photo credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Aug 24, 2026, 14:15 EDTUpdated: Aug 24, 2026, 14:10 EDT
For the third straight year, we are conducting a late-summer thought exercise. Over the next week, we will present a pair of options and ask you which is more likely to occur for the Vancouver Canucks this season. Without the benefit of a crystal ball, of course, it’s impossible to know how things will go. So we will present cases for both scenarios, and we’re looking for your gut reaction to which one is more likely to happen by season’s end.
Which is more likely to happen: Liam Öhgren records 40 points or Thatcher Demko starts 40 games?
Liam Öhgren
The Canucks would love to see Liam Öhgren have a breakout season. It’s the kind of development that would make this rebuilding season a success. But it still remains a long shot to think the 22-year-old will reach the 40-point mark for the first time in his National Hockey League career. While Öhgren had eight goals and 10 assists in 51 games after being acquired from the Minnesota Wild last December, it would be a significant leap for the Stockholm native to get to 40 points in his first full season in Vancouver. But it’s not out of the question. If he can apply his size and speed and show a little more finish around the net, a 15-goal and 25-assist season seems plausible. Then again, the Canucks as a whole may struggle to score again this season, making the challenge that much tougher for Öhgren. He scored at a 30-point pace after the Olympic break on a line with Marco Rossi and Brock Boeser. If Öhgren finds himself on the BRÖ line once again and picks up where he left off, the 40-point mark should be his target (even if he falls short).
Thatcher Demko
Trying to peg Thatcher Demko’s workload this season seems like a fool’s game. The Canucks won’t commit to the veteran netminder being ready for the start of the season despite the fact he has been back on the ice this summer following season-ending hip surgery. So right now the challenge for Demko is getting to the point he can start one NHL game. And he really shouldn’t worry about anything more than that. But the hope is that the surgery will eventually lead him back to full health. Set to turn 31 in December and entering the first season of a three-year contract extension, Demko’s days of being an NHL workhorse may be a thing of the past. But if he attains full health, a 40-start schedule shouldn’t be too much to ask. In fact, that should probably be the plan for Demko moving forward. Ease the burden and manage his workload by providing plenty of rest between starts. Give him full days off when necessary. And subscribe to the less-is-more theory when it comes to handing Demko the crease to maximize what the organization gets out of its star goalie.
Which is more likely to happen?
Liam Öhgren is one of the key young players the Canucks need to develop if the rebuild is going to succeed. And it will be interesting to monitor his usage under Manny Malhotra. There were nights last season when Öhgren looked the part of a former first-rounder full of promise and ready to assert himself as a budding power forward in the NHL. However, there were also many nights when he left fans wanting so much more. Effort was rarely an issue. Now he needs to find a way to gain some consistency to his scoring. If he does, then it’s conceivable he could push toward the 40-point mark.
Meanwhile, this feels like a significant season for Thatcher Demko. He either stays healthy and regains his form or suffers further injury and faces questions about his future. The fact remains that when healthy, he has proven to be among the best in the business at his position. But it’s also true that in the past two seasons he has started only 23 and 20 games.
Verdict
This is a tough one. While Öhgren is likely to take a step or two in his development, a 40-point season on a struggling team feels like it may simply be too much to expect from the promising winger. But 40 starts given Demko’s injury history and recovery from surgery feels like an equally tall task. I’m going to suggest that Demko will be motivated to regain his status as one of the game’s top puck stoppers, but will be meticulous in his approach. That’s going to allow him to make 40 starts (but not many more) for the Canucks next season, leaving plenty of opportunity for both Kevin Lankinen and Nikita Tolopilo.
The Future is Daily Faceoff Vancouver
The future of hockey coverage is bigger than one team, one market, or one platform. By bringing our local hockey brands together under Daily Faceoff, we’re creating a more complete hockey experience — one that gives fans the best of local passion and league-wide expertise, all in one place. The community remains at the centre. The experience is simply expanding as part of the next evolution of how we cover the game.
Welcome to Daily Faceoff Vancouver – Driven by hockey.
Recent articles from Jeff Paterson
Breaking News
- Canucks summer faceoff: Which is more likely – Öhgren 40 points or Demko 40 starts?
- Why the worries of a healthy Thatcher Demko ruining the tank are overblown
- A scoring rebound and mentorship role are the goals for Canucks’ Brendan Gallagher in 2026-27
- JPat’s Monday Mailbag: Will the Canucks actually play the kids or shield them from another tough season?
- An in-depth look at the Los Angeles Kings in 2026-27: Canucks Pacific Previews
Vancouver CanucksTeam Cap Summary
Cap Summary
2026-27
2027-28
Projected Cap Hit
$86,185,833
$62,923,333
Projected Cap Space
$17,814,167
$50,576,666
Current Cap Space
$17,814,167
$50,576,666
Active Players
23/23
13/23
Draft Picks
Round
'26
'27
1
2
1
2
2
2
3
1
1