We appreciate you've heard this once or a hundred times previously, dating all the way back to last season's playoffs, but Thatcher Demko is now finally set to return to action. That's right, after months of frustration and unpredictability, the Canucks' number one goalie is going to play on Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
For the sake of clarity, we should note that this has not officially been confirmed at the time of writing, but all signs point towards Demko taking the net for the second contest of the Canucks' current six-game homestand. As reported by Jeff Paterson of Rink Wide: Vancouver, Kevin Lankinen and Artūrs Šilovs rotated in one net during practice on Saturday, while the two-time NHL All-Star had the other net all to himself.
For what (little) it's worth, Demko's career stats have also been mentioned on the Canucks' official site, for their game notes versus the Lightning. Yes, Lankinen's and Šilovs' stats are also there, but only after last season's Vezina Trophy runner up.
No one will forget how important Lankinen has been to the team so far this season, particularly away from Rogers Arena. He set an NHL record by winning his first 10 games of the campaign on the road, as he has proven to be the deal of the century for the Canucks.
Demko is cruical to the team's success
However, the Canucks need Demko back between the pipes if they are to truly be a genuine contender come playoff time. Ahead of Sunday's action, the team is tied 22nd in the NHL in save percentage and tied 21st for average goals allowed per game.
In addition, the Canucks have allowed the first goal 15 times in 25 games this season, a ratio which quite simply must go down. This is just one area where Demko can help the team, with fans hoping he can carry on where he left off from his career year last season, which included a 2.45 Goals Against Average, .918 save percentage, and stellar 35-14-2 record.
His return is not without concern
At the same time, there will still be plenty of angst about the 29-year-old's ability to remain healthy, after years of durability issues. This angst will only be amplified due to the unknown nature of his popliteus muscle issue, which is very rare in sports, especially hockey.
At least you known Demko and the Canucks have been extremely careful when dealing with the injury. While he's admitted he's put his knee through hell to make sure it is as ready as it can be to deal with game action, the team has made sure that it's his call to decide when he's ready to play again.
This now appears to be the case, with the 2014 36th overall draft pick serving as Lankinen's backup for Friday's 5-2 win versus the Columbus Blue Jackets. Now, he will actually start on Sunday, in a return that Canucks fans everywhere have been waiting for.
N.B. Demko has an all-time record of 1-3-0 against the Lightning, with a 3.04 Goals Against Average and ,902 save percentage in five appearances. The first meeting between the two teams this season saw the Canucks lose 4-1 in Tampa Bay, with Šilovs in net.