Rick Tocchet: Canucks’ Thatcher Demko has ‘improved immensely’

Could Thatcher Demko be an option for the Vancouver Canucks before the end of their series against the Edmonton Oilers?

Canucks coach Rick Tocchet wasn’t willing to answer that question on Wednesday, but he certainly left the door open to a return by his injured star goaltender.

“I don’t know if I want to go that far (to say he could play in Game 6 or 7). All I know is he has improved immensely the last 72 hours. I can give you that,” Tocchet said.

“I’m not going to give you a percentage, but it’s better than 10 per cent (in terms of improvement the last 72 hours). The last two, three days, he’s made some strides. Big strides.”

Demko suffered an undisclosed injury in Vancouver’s playoff opener against the Nashville Predators and was replaced by Casey DeSmith in Game 2. At the time, Tocchet called his status “week to week.”

DeSmith started two games before he was hurt, pushing third-stringer Arturs Silovs into starter’s duty.

Silovs has played well, posting a 2.71 goals-against average and .907 save percentage in seven games, but Demko is the clear No. 1 for Vancouver.

A Vezina Trophy finalist, Demko had a 2.45 GAA and .918 save percentage in 51 games this season.

The American missed 14 games with a lower-body injury at the end of the Canucks’ Pacific Division-winning season. He returned for their penultimate regular-season game, where he secured a 4-1 victory.

The Oilers-Canucks series is tied 2-2.

Watch Game 5 on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Sportsnet or Sportsnet+.