The Vancouver Canucks say Thatcher Demko will be out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.
The all-star goaltender was hurt in the second period of Saturday’s 5-0 drubbing of the Winnipeg Jets and went directly down the tunnel during a television timeout.
Backup netminder Casey DeSmith finished the game for the Canucks (42-17-7).
Head coach Rick Tocchet said following Tuesday’s practice Demko will be sidelined “week-to-week.” He would not divulge further injury details.
Arturs Silovs, summoned under emergency conditions from Vancouver’s American Hockey League affiliate in Abbotsford, B.C., joined the Canucks for Tuesday’s on-ice session.
In a corresponding move to clear salary cap space, the team announced forward Dakota Joshua, out since Feb. 13 with a hand injury, has been retroactively placed on long-term injured reserve.
Demko boasts a 34-13-2 record, .917 save percentage and 2.47 goals-against average to go along with five shutouts in 2023-24 — a stat line that’s helped push Vancouver atop the Western Conference standings.
The 28-year-old earned his league-leading 34th win of the season Saturday and was named one of the NHL’s three stars of the week.
The Canucks host the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.
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