The Vancouver Canucks are getting their No. 1 goalie back between the pipes.
Thatcher Demko will start against the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday, head coach Adam Foote confirmed after morning skate, where the goalie was a full participant.
The 29-year-old last played on Nov. 3, a 5-4 overtime win against the Nashville Predators, before missing time for undisclosed reasons.
Demko is 5-4-0 this season with a .912 save percentage and a 2.57 goals-against average.
The six-foot-four, 192-pound goalkeeper missed much of last season after suffering a knee injury in Game 1 of Vancouver’s first-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators in the 2023-24 campaign.
At the end of that season, he was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL’s best goalie, after going 35-14-2 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average.
Demko did not play again until Dec. 10, 2024, and struggled to stay healthy through much of last season. He played just 23 games, and posted a 10-8-3 record with a .889 save percentage, a 2.90 goals-against average and one shutout.
He went on to sign a three-year, $25.5 million extension on July 1.
Puck drop for Canucks-Jets is set for 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET on Sportsnet+.
