Does Vancouver Canucks Netminder Thatcher Demko Deserve to Play for Team USA at the Olympics?
Photo credit: Bob Frid - USA TODAY Sports
A former NHLer believes that a Vancouver Canucks goaltender should get an opportunity to represent his nation at the 2026 Winter Olympics in February.
For the first time since 2014, National Hockey League players will be returning to the Winter Olympics and a number of Vancouver Canucks are expected to be involved when the puck drops in Milan, Italy next February.
While rosters aren't expected to be announced until late December or early January, depending on the federation, some nations have used this summer as an opportunity to host an Orientation Camp, including the United States which included Conor Garland and Quinn Hughes, the latter of whom was already named as one of team's first six players back in June.
Of course as there is with any roster, whether it be for the Olympics, an All-Star Game or any big event, there are snubs and despite his injury issues dating back to April 2024, Thatcher Demko was not invited to the US' Orientation Camp, but one former NHLer believes if he has a strong start to the 2025-26 campaign, not only could be put himself in contention to make the team, but perhaps play a big role.
Former NHLer says Thatcher Demko would be "his guy" at 2026 Winter Olympics
On Thursday, former NHLer and Vancouver Canucks defenseman Frank Corrado discussed Thatcher Demko being snubbed from the United States' Olympic Orientation Camp.
Corrado says that if he needed one goaltender to win him a game at the Winter Olympics and Thatcher Demko, Jake Oettinger, Connor Hellebuyck and Jeremy Swayman were all healthy, he would turn to the Vancouver Canuck as his choice.
"If I was Team USA and all four of my goalies and I'm including Demko in that, so we're talking Swayman, Hellebuyck, Demko, Oettinger. So those are my four guys. If they're all healthy and they're all playing their best and I need one guy to be lights out and win me a game, I kind of think Demko is my guy. I'm not just like pandering to Canucks fans or you guys, like I've seen that guy win games where the team in front of him has no business winning a game. He can turn the lights out and I think the other guys can, but just, I don't know there's something about Demko where I'm like when he's at his best, he's unbelievable." Corrado said.
Demko, 29, doesn't have a ton of experience on the international stage, with just one senior men's tournament under his belt, that being the 2019 IIHF World Championship, where he appeared in just two games.
The odds of Demko making the United States' Olympic team right now seem pretty low, especially given that he's played just 23 games since April 2024 due to injury, along with the other three goaltenders mentioned by Frank Corrado.
However if the Vancouver Canucks netminder if able to play out of his mind between October and late December, while also remaining at full health, then USA Hockey will have no choice but to consider him for a spot on the team's roster.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
| POLL | ||
AOUT 29 | 1229 ANSWERS Does Vancouver Canucks Netminder Thatcher Demko Deserve to Play for Team USA at the Olympics? Do you think Thatcher Demko will make the United States' final roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics? | ||
| Yes | 667 | 54.3 % |
| No | 562 | 45.7 % |
| List of polls | ||