<p>The Vancouver Canucks and their fanbase are holding their breath, waiting to hear more about the status of goaltender Thatcher Demko after he left Thursday night&#8217;s game against the Seattle Kraken.</p>
<p></p>
<p>The incident leading to his departure <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-thatcher-demko-exits-second-period-seattle-kraken">occurred in the second period</a> of their comeback win when one of his own defencemen, Noah Juulson, got his feet tied up with him. Demko hit the ice landing on his back, and left the game.</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bad news for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko has left the game. </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SeaKraken?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SeaKraken</a> <a href="https://t.co/VAVingGARu">pic.twitter.com/VAVingGARu</a></p>
<p>&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1875034892003889532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The Canucks recalled goaltender Arturs Silovs from the AHL&#8217;s Abbotsford Canucks, and head coach Rick Tocchet offered a somewhat optimistic update Friday.</p>
<p>“Back spasms,&#8221; he said of the injury, via <em><a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/could-day-two-vancouver-canucks-tocchet-says-demko-exited-vs-kraken-due-back-spasms">CanucksArmy</a></em>. &#8220;I don’t think it’s serious, but you know how back spasms are, could be a day or two.”</p>
<p>Demko found himself out of the Canucks lineup for the first 26 games of the season, recovering from a <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-thatcher-demko-injury-popliteus-muscle-report">torn popliteus muscle</a>.</p>
<p>Kevin Lankinen entered Thursday&#8217;s game in relief, turning aside 13 of 15 shots he faced, and got the start Friday against the Nashville Predators, who paid a visit to Rogers Arena.</p>
<h1>Pettersson lands on injured reserve</h1>
<p>More injury news around the Canucks saw <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/canucks-place-elias-pettersson-on-injured-reserve">Elias Pettersson placed on the injured reserve,</a> retroactive to Dec. 23rd.</p>
<p>He last played in a game that night and was injured in the second period, but hasn&#8217;t played since despite Tocchet saying at the time he didn&#8217;t &#8220;think it was too bad.&#8221;</p>
<p>Pettersson, who is in the midst of a <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/01/02/the-canucks-might-be-open-to-trading-elias-pettersson-and-thats-great-news-for-the-oilers/">once-private, now-public spat with teammate J.T. Miller</a>, has appeared in 28 games this year, scoring 10 goals and 28 points.</p>
<p>The Canucks are also without captain Quinn Hughes, who is week-to-week with an upper body injury. He also last played on Dec. 23rd, also having missed the last four games.</p>
<h1>More news&#8230;</h1>
<ul>
<li>Another <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/avalanches-scott-wedgewood-sidelined-at-least-week-to-week-after-suffering-injury">goaltender injured Thursday</a> was Colorado Avalanche netminder Scott Wedgewood, who in the third period of their game against the Buffalo Sabres, was involved in a collision with teammate Parker Kelly and Sabres winger Zach Benson. Buffalo scored on the play, and head coach Jared Bednar was none-too-pleased with it.</li>
<li>Canada was eliminated from the World Juniors in the quarter-finals Thursday night for the second time in as many years. <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/canada-has-no-one-to-blame-but-themselves-for-2025-world-junior-failure"><em>Daily Faceoff&#8217;s</em> Steven Ellis</a> opined it&#8217;s the country&#8217;s most disappointing loss in their tournament history. &#8220;With the tournament being on home ice, and featuring a roster with 10 first-round picks and potentially the first selection in each of the next two drafts, this has to go down as one of Canada’s most disastrous results in tournament history,&#8221; Ellis wrote.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/penguins-acquire-colton-poolman-from-sabres-for-bennett-macarthur-jagger-joshua">A minor trade Friday</a> saw the Pittsburgh Penguins acquire minor league defenceman Colton Poolman from the Buffalo Sabres for Bennett MacArthur and Jagger Joshua.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, and senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QX_QCiZyIo&amp;list=PLRSWOpthKmdtmFOKQDd7TQdTU2KSKXYvX">DFO DFS Report</a>. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at</span></i> <em><a href="http://www.x.com/zjlaing"><span style="font-weight: 400;">@zjlaing</span></a></em><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>,</em> or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.</span></i></p>
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The Vancouver Canucks and their fanbase are holding their breath, waiting to hear more about the status of goaltender Thatcher Demko after he left Thursday night's game against the Seattle Kraken.



The incident leading to his departure <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-thatcher-demko-exits-second-period-seattle-kraken">occurred in the second period</a> of their comeback win when one of his own defencemen, Noah Juulson, got his feet tied up with him. Demko hit the ice landing on his back, and left the game.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2107" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="325"></div>
https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1875034892003889532

The Canucks recalled goaltender Arturs Silovs from the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks, and head coach Rick Tocchet offered a somewhat optimistic update Friday.

“Back spasms," he said of the injury, via <em><a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/could-day-two-vancouver-canucks-tocchet-says-demko-exited-vs-kraken-due-back-spasms">CanucksArmy</a></em>. "I don’t think it’s serious, but you know how back spasms are, could be a day or two.”

Demko found himself out of the Canucks lineup for the first 26 games of the season, recovering from a <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-thatcher-demko-injury-popliteus-muscle-report">torn popliteus muscle</a>.

Kevin Lankinen entered Thursday's game in relief, turning aside 13 of 15 shots he faced, and got the start Friday against the Nashville Predators, who paid a visit to Rogers Arena.
<h1>Pettersson lands on injured reserve</h1>
More injury news around the Canucks saw <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/canucks-place-elias-pettersson-on-injured-reserve">Elias Pettersson placed on the injured reserve,</a> retroactive to Dec. 23rd.

He last played in a game that night and was injured in the second period, but hasn't played since despite Tocchet saying at the time he didn't "think it was too bad."

Pettersson, who is in the midst of a <a href="https://oilersnation.com/2025/01/02/the-canucks-might-be-open-to-trading-elias-pettersson-and-thats-great-news-for-the-oilers/">once-private, now-public spat with teammate J.T. Miller</a>, has appeared in 28 games this year, scoring 10 goals and 28 points.

The Canucks are also without captain Quinn Hughes, who is week-to-week with an upper body injury. He also last played on Dec. 23rd, also having missed the last four games.
<h1>More news...</h1>
<ul>
 	<li>Another <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/avalanches-scott-wedgewood-sidelined-at-least-week-to-week-after-suffering-injury">goaltender injured Thursday</a> was Colorado Avalanche netminder Scott Wedgewood, who in the third period of their game against the Buffalo Sabres, was involved in a collision with teammate Parker Kelly and Sabres winger Zach Benson. Buffalo scored on the play, and head coach Jared Bednar was none-too-pleased with it.</li>
 	<li>Canada was eliminated from the World Juniors in the quarter-finals Thursday night for the second time in as many years. <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/canada-has-no-one-to-blame-but-themselves-for-2025-world-junior-failure"><em>Daily Faceoff's</em> Steven Ellis</a> opined it's the country's most disappointing loss in their tournament history. "With the tournament being on home ice, and featuring a roster with 10 first-round picks and potentially the first selection in each of the next two drafts, this has to go down as one of Canada’s most disastrous results in tournament history," Ellis wrote.</li>
 	<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/penguins-acquire-colton-poolman-from-sabres-for-bennett-macarthur-jagger-joshua">A minor trade Friday</a> saw the Pittsburgh Penguins acquire minor league defenceman Colton Poolman from the Buffalo Sabres for Bennett MacArthur and Jagger Joshua.</li>
</ul>

<hr />

<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s associate editor, and senior columnist, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QX_QCiZyIo&amp;list=PLRSWOpthKmdtmFOKQDd7TQdTU2KSKXYvX">DFO DFS Report</a>. He can be followed on Twitter, currently known as X, at</span></i> <em><a href="http://www.x.com/zjlaing"><span style="font-weight: 400;">@zjlaing</span></a></em><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>,</em> or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.</span></i>

<hr />

<h2><strong>PRESENTED BY ODD COMPANY</strong></h2>
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We’re beyond excited to announce our latest partnership with Odd Company Brewing to bring you <a href="https://www.oddcompany.ca/new-blog/2024/10/8/nationbeer-everyday-lager" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the all-new Nation Beer</a> Everyday Lager! Whether you're watching the big game, chilling with friends, or just kicking back after a long day, this crisp, refreshing lager is the perfect choice. It’s the brew you can count on anytime, anywhere. So, why not make it your next game-day tradition? Nation Beer Everyday Lager is available now at Odd Company Brewing and through Liquor Connect. Don’t miss out—grab yours today and take your beer game to the next level! Cheers, Nation Citizens!

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