Thatcher Demko has given Manny Malhotra a badly needed positive sign, with the Canucks goalie back skating and working out this summer.
Elliotte Friedman says people who have seen Demko recently confirm he has been on the ice and training, offering Vancouver its most encouraging health update in months.
There is still no return date. Friedman said those around the situation aren't putting a timeline on Demko, which keeps some uncertainty attached to his status before camp.
The bigger development is the optimism surrounding his recovery. Friedman said there is hope that whatever Vancouver has been dealing with physically has now been addressed.
Demko has appeared in only 43 games across the last two NHL seasons. That lack of availability has made the crease one of Vancouver's hardest positions to plan around.
The timing matters because Demko's new contract begins this season. He carries a 3-year deal with an $8,500,000 annual cap hit, raising the stakes around his health immediately.
Malhotra doesn't need Demko playing preseason games simply to prove something. Vancouver needs him capable of handling a stable workload once the regular-season schedule starts.
"I have heard from people who have seen it that he is skating," revealed Friedman on the NHL Network. "I have heard that he's been working out."
Elliotte Friedman drops major Thatcher Demko health update
For months, the Canucks have been forced to operate without certainty about when their starting goalie would be available or how much work he could handle.
Skating and training do not guarantee Demko is ready for opening night. They do show that his offseason has progressed far enough for meaningful hockey activity.
That changes the tone entering camp. Instead of beginning with another setback or vague concern, Vancouver can at least evaluate Demko from a more encouraging starting point.
The Canucks still need a strong backup plan. Demko's recent injury history makes it risky to build the entire season around the assumption that the health problems are finished.
But a healthy Demko would change the ceiling of Malhotra's team. Stable goaltending would take pressure off the blue line and keep Vancouver from constantly adjusting around the crease.
The next test comes when practices become faster and game situations return. That's where Vancouver will learn whether Demko can move from offseason progress to a full NHL workload.
For now, there is no guarantee and no fixed date. There is simply something the Canucks haven't had enough of with Demko lately: legitimate reason for optimism.
Should Vancouver plan for Thatcher Demko as its No. 1 goalie this season?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Maple Leafs could capitalize on Red Wings crisis to land Alex DeBrincat
