"I'm not going to sugarcoat it" - Thatcher Demko makes his feelings known on 'tough year' dealing with injuries

Thatcher Demko returned to practice on Sunday, but the goalkeeper remains on Injured Reserve with a lower body injury and without a timetable to return. With the Vancouver Canucks currently five points back of the last wild card in the West, there's very little time left for a comeback.

Demko hasn't played since Feb. 8, and he's only appeared in 17 games this year. It's been a difficult, injury-marred campaign for the 2023-24 Vezina Trophy runner-up.

The goalie said, via Sportsnet, after practice Sunday:

“Obviously, it's been a tough year. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. You know, I think I was turning a good corner there right before the Four Nations break. (But) I started to kind of feel the effects of not really having a summer. Just the nature of my knee rehab, it wasn't this kind of gradual solution that we found."

The longtime Canuck added:

"It was more: do something to it one day, and then the next day I was ready to try and play. So it wasn't like I had this build-up of getting those reps and getting that strength back that you accumulate in the summer."

The Canucks have largely relied on Kevin Lankinen and Arturs Silovs in net with Demko on Injured Reserve for so long.

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Thatcher Demko opens up on attempts to get healthy again

Thatcher Demko has been mostly absent for the Vancouver Canucks this year. The star goalie has had a difficult time getting and staying healthy dating back even to the offseason.

Thatcher Demko has been hurt a lot (Imagn)

It's not for a lack of trying, though. Via Sportsnet, the NHL star said:

“We were searching, trying different things. You know, maybe this will work, maybe this. And we ended up finding one thing that just, like, set it into place. It was like overnight we were able to try and start playing again.

"So, I think I didn't really have a good set table for this year as far as being prepared, and I've been kind of feeling the effects of that."

Despite the struggles, Demko says he's a "lot more knowledgeable now" about his injuries. He's learned a lot personally and physically, and he believes this experience will be "super valuable" and something he can lean on throughout his career even if it's been frustrating.