Latest Update on Thatcher Demko: Canucks "Not Panicking"

Vancouver Canucks fans continue to be on pins and needles as they await further word on the status of Thatcher Demko for the new season. The Vezina Trophy runner-up last year was able to play only one game in the Stanley Cup playoffs, before his rare knee injury ended his season for good.

We got a huge update last week when it was reported that Demko was back skating and working out on the ice. Now insider Elliotte Friedman joined the boys on the Donnie & Dhali podcast to tell us that this isn't the end of the world for the Canucks or its fans.

I do believe that the Canucks are not panicking that this could be a half-the-season or threaten-the-season (absence) or anything like that. But I think there is an understanding that he may not be ready for the start of the year... They don't appear worried that this is going to be a long-term thing...

I have heard that this is not a devastating injury.

This is certainly some good news, and Canucks fans can exhale a bit.

One thing that Friedman believes will come out of this, however, is that they need to scale back on Demko's workload this year. In particular when he's not actually between the pipes during a game.

"They don't want him on ice doing drills as much... rest is something he's going to have to do a bit more... I do think everyone around here believes that workload was an issue."

The other question is whether this is something that Demko will have to learn to play through going forward. "I don't believe the injury is that serious," said Friedman, "but he is going to have to learn to play his way through it, and strengthen the area around (the knee)."

Thatcher went 35-14-2 this past season, with a .918 save percentage and a 2.45 goals against average.