One major development could completely change the direction of the Vancouver Canucks

Thatcher Demko's talent was never the issue in Vancouver. Staying on the ice has been the real problem for two straight seasons now.

He started only 20 games last season, his fewest since 2018-19, getting shut down twice by injury after showing flashes of his old form.

He opened the year healthy against Calgary on October 9th, then landed on IR after leaving a game against Winnipeg on November 11th. He came back a month later against Buffalo, only to get shut down for good after one period against Toronto in January.

At 30, Demko has just 256 career starts, a shockingly low number for a goalie once considered elite. Compare that to Dallas workhorse Jake Oettinger, who's already at 296 starts at just 27.

When healthy, Demko is genuinely capable of stealing games on his own. The problem is Vancouver is rebuilding, and a rebuild doesn't really need a goalie who can single-handedly steal points nobody expected.

He's entering year one of a three year extension carrying a full no-move clause, and he's been vocal about wanting to be part of the solution here, even though his age doesn't perfectly match a rebuild timeline that could stretch five years.

A 1A/1B tandem could keep both goalies healthy

Still, his attitude is exactly what GM Ryan Johnson wants running through this locker room. Even if his win total stays modest, his leadership and character carry real value during a rebuild this long.

If Demko can somehow get back to a 40 to 45 start workload, he could also rebuild enough trade value to net a real return down the line.

Johnson has already shown he can talk a veteran into waiving a no-move clause too, something he pulled off recently with Marcus Pettersson.

Demko didn't sugarcoat how rough the last two years have felt personally.

"It's been a tough two years, I'm not going to sugarcoat that," he said during end-of-season media availability, adding that his passion and fire have only grown heading into this summer.

He underwent hip surgery in January, and he sounds genuinely optimistic that it finally addresses the nagging issues that have plagued him.

"I think that this last operation is going to be the answer for all that," Demko said. "We've addressed the larger picture."

Johnson himself wouldn't fully commit to Demko being ready for training camp when it opens in Penticton on September 17th, though the good news is Demko has already progressed to on-ice work.

If health actually cooperates, Vancouver could realistically run a 1A/1B tandem, splitting starts 40-45 games apiece between Demko and Kevin Lankinen.

Lankinen posted a .875 save percentage across 47 games last season, and Nikita Tolopilo remains an option too if Vancouver wants to spread the workload even further and keep everyone fresher.

A realistic, optimistic outcome has Demko starting 40 games with a 2.50 goals-against average, a .910 save percentage, and three shutouts, essentially a return to his peak 2023-24 form.

Whether that version of Demko actually shows up, and whether Vancouver eventually trades him if he does, remains the real story to watch as this season unfolds.