Thatcher Demko addressed the media at Vancouver Canucks Training Camp, providing an update on his recovery from a unique injury that he’s still working through. The Canucks’ goaltender, who is diligently trying to get back into game shape, detailed the uniqueness of his lower-body muscle injury, which he said he could find no comparisons to around the NHL.
Despite all of that, Demko thinks he’ll get back to 100% health, which is great news for the Canucks.
Demko, who was on the ice early before the first practice session, seemed confident despite how little was known about what had been nagging him last season and this summer. “It’s such a unique injury,” Demko said. “There’s a lack of research on the muscle injury I had during the playoffs, but I believe I can be at 100% and am confident about where we’re headed.”
The recovery process hasn’t been straightforward, as Demko acknowledged that his progress has not been linear. He described the injury as “a bit ambiguous,” saying it’s been difficult treating such a rare condition. “When I first felt the injury, I wasn’t too sure what it was. As we delved into research and consulted with specialists worldwide, it became clearer, though still challenging,” Demko explained.
Despite the frustrations of the unknown, Demko talked about the work he and the medical staff have been doing. “I think we’ve done a good job handling it as a medical group. We’ve talked to all the specialists we can, and this is the information we’ve gathered,” he noted.
Still No Timeline on Demko’s Return to the Canucks
Demko didn’t provide a specific timeline for his full recovery. “It’s a situation where you have to keep an eye on things, maybe adjust some training and rehab habits, but I don’t have any doubts that I’ll be at 100%.” Elliotte Friedman noted earlier in the month that the Canucks old goaltending coach had been replaced, and it’s not clear if that had something to do with Demko’s training.
For now, everyone is happy he’s on the ice and trending in the right direction. It’s a storyline that could linger, with Friedman even noting that this is something Demko might have to learn to play with the rest of his career.
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