NHL insider believes $22,500,000 goalie puts "injured" Thatcher Demko's future with Vancouver Canucks in jeopardy

It's been a difficult year for Thatcher Demko. The Vancouver Canucks goalie didn't make his season debut until Dec. 10 because of a knee injury he suffered in Game 1 of the 2023-24 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

A month after returning to action, he injured his back which sidelined him for three games. After the brief injury stint, Demko returned to the crease again for a month before suffering another lower-body injury on Feb. 8 against Toronto. He's been labeled to be out week-to-week with the ailment and was placed on IR on Sunday.

Thankfully for the Canucks, offseason signing Kevin Lankinen has filled in well. They rewarded him for his play with a five-year $22,500,000 contract on Friday, which has raised plenty of questions about Demko's future with the team.

During the "Buy or Sell" segment of the "The DFO Rundown" podcast on Monday, Frank Seravalli gave his answer on whether Demko will begin next season as a Vancouver Canuck.

"Sell," Seravalli said. "I just, to me, that extension was the writing on the wall. And not for nothing, Lankinen's been good, and good enough. And also got in 4 Nations, (and) supplanted Juuse Saros. Like, he's a good goalie, and I think they've determined that with where he's at in his career, and where he's heading he's a good enough facsimile. Compared to an injured Demko."

Demko is in the fourth season of a five-year $25,000,000 contract (per Spotrac), making him a pending UFA in the 2025-26 campaign. This could make him a trade candidate this upcoming offseason.

Thatcher Demko has had trouble staying healthy his whole career

Injuries have plagued Thatcher Demko for the majority of his NHL career.

Demko has started in more than 50 games just twice in his seven-year career. The most recent lower body ailment is the eleventh time he's been sidelined with an injury. When healthy, Demko has been one of the best goalies in the league — the problem is that's rarely the case.

However, this season, he's struggled even when available with a 6-6-3 record, a 2.87 goals-against average and a .891 save percentage.

The Canucks will continue their five-game road trip without Demko on Wednesday in LA against the Kings. The puck drops at 10 p.m. EST at Crypto.com Arena.