Thatcher Demko's recovery on track, no concern about missing 2026-27

Fantasy hockey: Demko remains on injured reserve after hip surgery, but head coach Manny Malhotra says there is no concern he will miss next season.

By Fantasy Roundup Staff · October 19, 2026 · Updated October 19, 2026

Thatcher Demko is out after undergoing hip surgery in January 2026, and Vancouver head coach Manny Malhotra told reporters Monday there is no concern the goaltender will miss the 2026-27 season. Demko was spotted watching practice from the bench and took a couple days off the ice this past weekend as the team dialled back his workload. The Canucks have three games this week, starting Tuesday against Carolina.

Demko cannot play while on injured reserve, and his three scheduled games this week go to zero until he is activated. He posted a .907 save percentage with 82% of the starts before the injury, and his absence opens that workload for Vancouver's backup. His save quality grades 52 out of 100 among goalies in goals saved above expected and high-danger saves.

Fantasy impact

Player by player

Thatcher Demko

Demko is on injured reserve with no return date and cannot contribute to fantasy lineups until he is activated. He is recovering from hip surgery in January 2026, and while the coach says he is improving daily, the team is not rushing the process. His three games this week are unavailable for as long as he remains out.

Before the injury, Demko handled 82% of the starts with a .907 save percentage and a 2.68 goals-against average across 91 games in the model sample. His save quality grades 52 out of 100 among goalies in goals saved above expected and high-danger saves. The backup inherits his workload, which was the majority of Vancouver's starts. Demko should remain on injured reserve in fantasy formats until the team announces his activation.

Caleb Malhotra

What to do

• Keep Demko on injured reserve in all formats until Vancouver announces his activation.

• Look to Vancouver's backup goaltender to fill the workload Demko was handling before surgery.

• Monitor updates on Demko's recovery timeline, but do not expect him to return in the near term.

Schedule this week