Canucks’ Thatcher Demko Done for Rest of 2025-26 Season

Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced on Tuesday afternoon that goaltender Thatcher Demko will miss the remainder of the team’s regular season. Demko will undergo hip surgery and will not play until 2026-27.

Allvin noted in a statement on the team’s website:

“After consulting with our team doctors and outside specialists, Thatcher Demko will be shut down for the rest of the year. Thatcher will undergo surgery next week for an injury unrelated to the one that kept him out of action last season. Following his rehab, he will be ready for the start of training camp in September.”

This is obviously not good news for the team, but shutting him down is probably the right decision. The way this season has gone for the team, winning was no longer a priority. Dumping assets ahead of the trade deadline and figuring out who the core of the roster will be moving forward becomes this team’s mandate.

The Canucks are facing tough questions about their decision to re-sign Thatcher Demko, given that injuries were already a known concern. By extending him instead of waiting to see if he could stay healthy, Vancouver assumed significant risk — and now may be staring at a third consecutive season disrupted by injury.

If the Canucks want to protect Demko long term, this is the play. Even if Demko were to be ready before the end of the season or if he could have postponed surgery, there wouldn’t have been a good reason to let him play.

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