Canucks Goalie Set to Return vs. Sabres

The cavalry is coming to potentially save the day for the Vancouver Canucks in the form of goalie Thatcher Demko. It is expected that the American netminder will be back between the posts for the Canucks’ matchup with the Buffalo Sabres tonight.

Vancouver currently finds itself at the bottom of the NHL standings with just 25 points — one behind the Nashville Predators and three short of another Pacific Division squad in the Calgary Flames. The Canucks’ inability to pick up victories on a consistent basis can be credited to many reasons, with their horrific defense and goaltending chief among them. The team ranks last in the NHL in goals allowed (108), with its goalies having a combined save percentage of just .887. With Demko returning, Vancouver hopes those statistics flip on their head.

Demko last suited up on Nov. 11 in a 5-3 loss to the Flames, giving up three goals on the first eight shots he faced before being pulled midway through the game. He hasn’t returned to the ice since. It’s still unclear exactly when he sustained the injury, which the team described as a lower-body issue.

Demko Feels ‘Ready to Go’

Oct 28, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko (35) during a stop in play against the New York Rangers in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images | Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The 30-year-old, who was a second-round pick back in 2014, has missed 12 straight games, but after returning to practice on Dec. 4, he says he’s ready to get back into game action.

“I feel ready to go,” Demko said after practice a couple days ago. “We knew exactly what was going on. It was a minor tweak of something and pretty much just had to give it time and get the reps back, so we’ve done that and excited to be hopefully back in the lineup.”

With Demko coming back, the Canucks are getting a goaltender who has shown he has the chops to compete at a competent level in the NHL. In 10 starts this season, Demko went 5-4-0 and had a save percentage of .903. His 2.80 goals-against average was also in line with what he’s put up for the rest of his career and was suitable enough to get the Canucks by for the first month of the season. Once he left the lineup — and a slew of other netminders entered the fray — that’s when things began to go off the rails.

Canucks Hope Investment in Demko Pays Off

Demko played in only 23 games last season due to a series of injuries that kept him from manning his post. Part of his summer routine was working on his training to make sure he didn’t miss time in 2025-26. Of course, that dream didn’t come true, which Demko admitted was frustrating.

“There’s a narrative around the whole situation, but any guy can go through and have a great summer and then get hurt,” Demko said regarding the frustration he’s had surrounding the start of the season. “I have been sitting there pretty much just beating myself up for a week and you feel guilty and you feel bummed out and [ticked] off and all those things. But it’s part of the game, and I can only control so much.”

Thatcher Demko will be back in the @Canucks lineup this Thursday! pic.twitter.com/ZaONyqGKnn
— NHL (@NHL) December 9, 2025

Demko signed a three-year, $25.5 million contract extension this past summer that kicks in next season, so he’ll be in Vancouver for the foreseeable future. If he can keep the injury bug at bay and continue to perform at the level he’s capable of, then that investment will be well worth it for the Canucks.

Vancouver and Demko will be in action tonight at 10 p.m. EST when the Sabres stroll into Rogers Arena for a bout between two of the league’s cellar dwellers.

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