Canucks' Demko to make season debut; Miller takes part in gameday skate
Published
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko will make his season debut on Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues, head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed.
Demko has not played since the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the spring after sustaining a knee injury in Game 1 against the Nashville Predators.
He dressed as the team's backup goaltender for their past two games behind Kevin Lankinen, who has steadied the team after signing late in the off-season. Lankinen has a 13-4-3 record this season with .908 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average.
Demko was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy last season and finished second to Winnipeg Jets' goaltender Connor Hellebuyck after posting a career-high 35 wins, five shutouts, 2.45 goals-against average, and .918 save percentage in 51 games.
Miller takes part in gameday skate
Canucks forward J.T. Miller took part in the team's gameday skate on Tuesday and appears to be nearing a return from his leave of absence.
Ben Kuzma of Postmedia reports Miller will not play Tuesday against the Blues, but is expected to practise Wednesday and address the media then ahead of a likely return on Thursday.
Miller, 31, stepped away from the team for an indefinite leave of absence for “personal reasons” on Nov. 19. He has as six goals and 10 assists in 17 games for Vancouver this season
After Miller’s leave fuelled trade rumours, Canucks president Jim Rutherford shut down such talk last week.
“No, we are not [trading him],” Rutherford told Postmedia on Dec. 4. “We stand by him.
“Don’t start making stuff up on someone in his situation. That’s disrespectful. People that do this for fun, or for a living, just go back to making up trade rumours.”
Miller was named to Team USA for the 4 Nations Face-Off last week.
“I have spoken to J.T.,” Team USA general manager Bill Guerin added. “J.T. is a wonderful guy, a high-end competitor, a high-end player. I don’t know the specifics of what he is going through, but I do know when you are going through something like that and you need a leave of absence, what you need is support, people behind you and people in your corner, and that’s what we are. We are behind J.T. Miller, and we are there for him, and he’s going to be a part of this team and a big part."
Miller posted a career-high 103 points (37 goals, 66 assists) last season, adding three goals and 12 points in 13 playoff games.
The 6-foot-1, 218-pound forward from East Palestine, Ohio, was selected 15th overall by the Rangers in the 2011 draft and has played for New York, Vancouver and the Tampa Bay Lightning over 13 NHL seasons.