Canucks’ Thatcher Demko to start Tuesday vs. Blues
Thatcher Demko will make his return to the Vancouver Canucks crease on Tuesday night.
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Thatcher Demko will make his return to the Vancouver Canucks crease on Tuesday night.
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed to reporters Tuesday that Demko will be the team’s starting goaltender when it takes on the St. Louis Blues.
Demko returned to the lineup Friday against the Columbus Blue Jackets in a backup role. It was the first time the Canucks starter had dressed for a game since April 21.
He suffered an injury to the popliteus muscle in his knee during that game and has been working his way back ever since.
“He’s a leader on the team. He’s a different type of leader,” Tocchet said of Demko after a morning skate Friday.
“The guy works awfully hard. He’s spent a lot of time by himself working out, he’s here at 7 a.m. working with one trainer. So, I think what it’s contagious to me is the hard work he does. The young guys see this stuff, how dedicated he is. I see that really helps our locker room.”
Demko had a 35-14-2 record with a .918 save percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts in regular-season play last year and played in an All-Star game for the second time in his career.
— With files from The Canadian Press
