Thatcher Demko won't be a full participant at Vancouver Canucks training camp, GM Ryan Johnson confirmed Wednesday.
Demko will still be in Penticton and on the ice, just working outside the main camp groups as the Canucks manage his recovery.
The goaltender underwent hip surgery in January and was shut down for the rest of the season, a year Vancouver closed out at 25-49-8.
He's been skating and training in Vancouver since June, and the club's internal file still lists him as day-to-day, questionable for the start of the season.
Demko played 20 games last season, posting a .895 save percentage and six wins before the surgery ended his year early.
He's also been limited to a fraction of a full slate over recent seasons, with multiple stints on injured reserve along the way.
Johnson didn't dodge the hard part of the conversation Wednesday morning.
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"The main focus is on Thatcher, not necessarily for what he means to the organization, but Thatcher the person," Johnson said.
"He's battled a lot. He's been through a lot physically and emotionally," Johnson added, referencing the toll of repeated surgeries and rehab.
Johnson said Demko wants more than just a return to the crease. He wants to be part of the solution moving forward.
Manny Malhotra takes over as Vancouver's head coach this season, and his first training camp opens without a clear answer on his top goaltender.
Kevin Lankinen projects as the interim option in net while Demko ramps up, coming off a .875 save percentage across 47 appearances last season.
The Canucks scored 216 goals and allowed 316 last season, a differential that leaves almost no margin for error between the pipes.
Demko still carries a $5,000,000 cap hit, and a rebuilding franchise that finished 32nd overall last season needs him more than he needs to rush anything.
Johnson called Demko "a perfect example of somebody that just keeps fighting." Fighting spirit doesn't heal a hip on a deadline, and Vancouver still has no full participation date to work with.
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Should the Canucks trust Kevin Lankinen as their No. 1 until Thatcher Demko is fully cleared?
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