The Vancouver Canucks will welcome back No. 1 goaltender Thatcher Demko tonight when they host the Buffalo Sabres. It should be a much-needed lift for a team riding through a rough stretch. Demko has missed 12 games with a lower-body injury, and while the Canucks have worked hard to stay afloat in his absence, it’s clear how much calmer the structure looks when he’s back in the crease.
In a season where the team has struggled both at home and on the road, getting their anchor back couldn’t come at a better moment. Vancouver enters the game trying to reverse a 3-8-3 slide over its last 14 outings.
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Buffalo arrives with momentum after Alex Tuch’s overtime winner against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, and their power play has started to click in recent games. The Sabres’ confidence, paired with Vancouver’s home-ice inconsistencies, sets up a tricky test for a Canucks team still missing Elias Pettersson. For the moment, the job is simple: lean on Demko’s return, steady the game early, and hope the lineup finds a more balanced rhythm.
Item One: Thatcher Demko’s Return Brings Much-Needed Stability
The biggest news of the week is the simplest: Demko is back. After exiting his last appearance against the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 11, where he allowed three goals on eight shots, Demko says he’s rebuilt his confidence and is ready to take on a full workload again.
“It was a minor tweak of something… I feel ready to go,” he explained. Vancouver hasn’t officially activated him from injured reserve, but all signs point to that move coming before puck drop. Whether he starts immediately or eases in, the expectation is that he’ll carry the load the rest of the way.
Demko’s numbers (5–4–0, 2.80 goals-against average, .903 save percentage) don’t tell the story of his value. What he gives the Canucks is predictability and a backbone. The ability to survive defensive zone lapses without the whole system wobbling. That alone should help stabilize a group that has struggled to find its footing.
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With a five-game road trip beginning Sunday against the New Jersey Devils—not to mention Pettersson still out—Demko’s return feels less like a routine lineup move and more like one of those organizational turning points. If the Canucks are going to keep pace in a tight Western Conference race, they need him healthy and in rhythm.
Item Two: Elias Pettersson Still Out, but Expected to Rejoin Team Soon
Pettersson will miss his third straight game as he continues to recover from an upper-body injury. He’s skating on his own and progressing, but he remains doubtful for the Sabres game. The encouraging news is that he’s expected to travel with the team on their five-game road trip. Vancouver isn’t rushing him—their history with star players and injuries has taught them patience—but the timetable suggests he’s not far away.
Pettersson’s absence has left a noticeable gap in the top six, forcing Vancouver to lean heavily on Quinn Hughes and whichever secondary scorers can catch a spark on any given night. The coaching staff has juggled lines, adjusted matchups, and hoped for a committee approach to offence. Against a Sabres team riding the emotional high of an overtime win, Vancouver will need more than hope.
Although he hasn’t jumped back to his point-a-game pace, Pettersson’s eight goals and 22 points in 28 games remain a significant slice of the team’s scoring identity. Until he returns, the Canucks must find ways to manufacture enough offence to stay competitive.
Item Three: Home Struggles and Buffalo’s Momentum
The Canucks’ home record tells its own story: 4-9-1 at Rogers Arena, tied for the fewest home points in the league. For a team trying to reestablish itself, that’s a tough backdrop. Buffalo, meanwhile, arrives with confidence and a power play humming at 30.4 percent over the past five games. That’s not a small detail—discipline and defensive-zone sharpness will matter.
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Vancouver must manage the puck better, avoid turning shifts into long defensive stands, and give Demko clean looks wherever possible. The Sabres are a young, hungry group that thrives when games get loose. Vancouver will want to create the opposite: they’ll need to focus on structure, patience, and smart exits.
What’s Next for the Canucks?
Tonight offers Vancouver a chance to reset at home and create some momentum before heading out on the road. Demko’s return provides a sense of order, but they’ll need more than goaltending to change the narrative. The top six must drive play, the depth forwards have to carry more of the load, and the defence needs to rediscover the crispness that marked their stronger stretches earlier in the season.
In the long term, the Canucks are balancing the development of their young core with managing injuries and relying on veteran voices. How they navigate these challenges will shape the rest of their season—whether they turn adversity into growth or let inconsistency keep pulling them off track.
