Rick Tocchet confirms the nature of Thatcher Demko's injury

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Cooper Godin
April 23, 2024 (12:27)

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The Vancouver Canucks are set to host the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round series on Tuesday night, but the team got some bad news just hours before puck drop.

It was announced today that Thatcher Demko would not be playing in Game 2 and it's unclear if he will return at all in the first round against Nashville.

Following Tuesday's morning skate, Rick Tocchet met with reporters and gave an update on Thatcher Demko. He said this is a new injury and not the same as the one that kept him out of 14 regular-season games in March and early April.

"Rick Tocchet says Demko skated yesterday. He's not going to play tonight. They will evaluate him today on something that isn't the same injury that he missed time with late in the year. #Canucks" Brendan Batchelor of Sportsnet 650 said.

While Tocchet says it isn't the same injury, it appears to relate to his knee, according to Farhan Lalji of TSN. Lalji reports that Demko's injury is to the same knee as the ailment that kept him out for five weeks during the regular season. Demko underwent an MRI on Monday, and the team is waiting on the results.

"I'm told Demko has an injury to the knee that recently kept him out five weeks, even if it may not be a reoccurrence of the same injury�had an MRI yesterday. Also, I heard the same as others: questionable to return for the series. #Canucks" Lalji said.

According to Canucks reporter Kate Pettersen, Tocchet added that Demko's injury is more of a day-to-day thing at this time.

"Rick Tocchet confirms that Thatcher Demko will not play tonight. He adds that it wasn't the old injury, but he's dealing with a day-to-day thing. #Canucks" Pettersen said.

With Demko out, the Canucks will turn to 32-year-old Casey DeSmith, who has one game of Stanley Cup Playoff experience, which came in 2022 as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. DeSmith started for the Penguins against the New York Rangers and made 48 saves before leaving the game with an injury in the second overtime period.

The puck drop for tonight's game against the Nashville Predators is set for 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET on Sportsnet and CBC. A win tonight would see the Canucks take a 2-0 series lead.