NHL Trades and Rumors
Thatcher Demko Makes Stance Clear on His Future with Canucks
After the Quinn Hughes trade, does Thatcher Demko want to stay in Vancouver moving forward? We now know.
Everyone involved with the Vancouver Canucks is still adjusting to life without their former captain and best player, Quinn Hughes. It’s going to take a while to get used to, though, depending on how deep the teardown goes, reality could set in quickly.
No one feels untouchable in Vancouver right now—especially the veterans—which has sparked plenty of speculation about what’s next for Thatcher Demko, among others.
The two-time All-Star netminder has struggled mightily to stay healthy in recent years, and that trend continued early into this season. However, since returning from a lower-body injury just over a week ago, Demko has been lights out, which has some fans worried that he’s going to ruin the tank.
They’ll have to get used to it, though, because on Friday morning Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal revealed that Demko has made it clear to the front office that he has no interest in leaving Vancouver despite Hughes’ departure.
“I have no indication right now that Garland and Demko want out. Demko made it clear after the Hughes trade that he doesn’t want to go anywhere. But teams are going to be watching Demko, I’m told, to see how long he can stay healthy the rest of the year,”
The 30-year-old Demko, who’s in the final season of his five-year, $25 million extension he signed to stay in Vancouver back in 2021, just signed another three-year, $25.5 million extension with the Canucks on July 1, 2025.
Is Thatcher Demko the Canucks’ Future In Goal?
As much as Demko might want to stay in Vancouver even after the Hughes trade, there’s no question the odds of that happening have decreased now that Jim Rutherford is seemingly committed to a rebuild.
Given his age and lengthy injury history, it could make sense for the Canucks to capitalize on his value while it’s high—similar to how the Penguins recently moved Tristan Jarry, another talented but older and oft-injured goalie who no longer fit their timeline.
Of course, Vancouver also just drafted Aleksei Medvedev in the second round (47th overall) in 2025, adding another layer to the team’s long-term plans. It might not happen before this year’s trade deadline, but in the grand scheme of things, it feels increasingly unlikely that Demko plays out the entirety of his new extension with the Canucks—whether he wants to or not.
Next: 3 Trades That Could Happen Before the NHL Roster Freeze
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