In NHL history, this person’s career is undoubtedly one of the largest “What if” examples…
The Vancouver Canucks have just signed free agent goalie Chris Driedger to a professional tryout (PTO) agreement.
This news follows rumors that starting goaltender Thatcher Demko has experienced yet another setback in his off-season rehabilitation and will not be prepared to begin the season.
Demko’s health is once again at the forefront of the Canucks’ preparations for the 2026–27 season, since another major injury setback has left his availability for training camp and the beginning of the regular season in doubt.
Demko, who was selected by Vancouver with the 36th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, steadily established himself as the team’s unquestionable number one goalie. He was nominated for the Vezina Trophy after achieving a 2.45 goals-against average and a.918 save percentage, establishing himself as one of the NHL’s top netminders by the 2023–24 season. But his career was often disrupted by injuries starting that season, which also signaled the beginning of a disheartening run.
Demko sustained a knee injury in his popliteus against the Nashville Predators during the 2024 playoffs. He appeared in only 23 games during the 2024-25 regular season due to the injury, which ultimately kept him out for around seven months. In February, he sustained yet another lower-body injury that kept him out for around 40 days, despite having made a comeback in December 2024.
Unfortunately for the Canucks and Demko, the trend persisted into 2025–26. Before another lower-body injury sidelined him in November and still another in January, Demko only participated in 20 games. Vancouver announced on January 27, 2026, that he would undergo season-ending hip surgery.
The surgery was intended to eventually solve some of the core issues that had affected Demko for many years. While Demko offered a positive update in June saying that he has since returned to the ice, there is still no assurance that he will be prepared for the Canucks’ training camp. His protracted history of injuries has been complicated by recent reports that his availability is still unknown.
And Vancouver seems to be getting ready for it. The Canucks have given Driedger a professional tryout, offering the team an experienced alternative in case Demko requires more time to recuperate. With 67 NHL games to his name and a career save percentage of.917, Driedger’s most recent NHL experience has been scant.
At his peak, Demko is still the ideal goaltender for a rebuilding Canucks club. The problem is that his ability has become practically as significant as his accessibility. Vancouver can no longer just expect that its franchise goalie will be available when necessary after years of hip, knee, and other lower body injuries.
More than just another comeback, the 2026–27 season means for Demko. It may be a vital chance to show that the most recent surgery has ultimately put an end to the injury cycle for him. Yet, the fundamental issue with the Canucks’ goaltending situation will persist until he returns to the field and performs consistently: not how good Thatcher Demko can be, but whether he can maintain his health long enough to demonstrate it.
