Thatcher Demko, Canucks, agree on contract extension

The Vancouver Canucks and Goalie Thatcher Demko have agreed on a three-year contract with an AAV of 8.5 million dollars, the team announced.

Demko has struggled with injuries as of late, and was limited to just 23 games last season after recovering from an injury suffered in the 2023-2024 playoffs.

In a statement released by the Canucks, General Manager Patrik Alvin praised Demko as one of the hardest working players on the team, and refferred to him as one of the best goalies in the league.

Demko was named a finalist for the Vezina trophy at the end of the 2023-24 NHL season after he led the Canucks to a Pacific division title. According to NHL.com, Demko had a 35-14-2 record en route to being named a Vezina finalist alongside Sergei Bobrovsky and Connor Hellebuyck.

If Demko stays healthy, he's worth every penny.

Thatcher Demko is a great goalie, no argument there. We've seen it in big games, he's a goalie that will always step up to the spotlight. When he's in the net, his teammates feel more comfortable playing in front of him, knowing he can handle whatever is thrown at him.

The problem with Demko stems from his injury history. In his career, Demko has only played more than 50 games twice in a season. In the last three seasons, he has only appeared in 106 games due to injury.

Luckily for the Canucks and Demko, they the team has one of the strongest goalie duos locked up long-term. Kevin Lankinen and Demko will likely split the starting duties for the foreseeable future, putting less strain on Demko's body.

There's no doubt that when healthy, Demko is a Vezina-caliber goalie, giving the Canucks a strong goalie tandem. The question is, can he stay consistently healthy for the duration of his contract? The Canucks are clearly willing to bet on him.