Demko hasn't played an NHL game since the Canucks faced the Nashville Predators in the opening round of the 2023-24 playoffs. He suffered his second left knee injury in less than two months in Game 1, putting a premature end to his postseason run.

VANCOUVER — It was a whirlwind day for Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko. Nearly eight months after he was injured in the first game of Vancouver’s playoff run, Demko returned to the crease Tuesday for his first start of the season.

There could have been some measure of rust, but trust was the bigger must for Thatcher Demko on Tuesday at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks starting goaltender finally returned after suffering a left-knee popliteus muscle injury on April 21 during late stages of Game 1 in a first-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators.