Canucks' Boeser out vs. Oilers, Demko still without timeline

Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin updated the statuses of several injured players.

Allvin revealed Brock Boeser is still being evaluated so he won't play against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night, while there's still no timetable for Thatcher Demko's return to the lineup, according to Brendan Batchelor, the team's radio play-by-play voice.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tanner Jeannot was suspended three games Friday for hitting Boeser in the head Thursday. The Canucks winger left the game and didn't return.

"I talked to (Boeser) briefly," Vancouver head coach Rick Tocchet said Saturday, per NHL.com's Kevin Woodley. "Doesn't feel great, but I wouldn't say it's horrible, so I think he's indefinite right now. These things can change (in) a week or 24 hours. I don't know."

Boeser came into Saturday leading the Canucks with six goals and tied for second on the team with 11 points through 12 contests. The 27-year-old set career highs last season with 40 goals, 73 points, and 81 games played.

Demko hasn't played all season due to the unusual muscle injury in his knee he's dealt with since April. The goaltender, who was voted the Vezina Trophy runner-up in 2023-24, said in September that he was fully confident he could get back to 100%.

The American netminder, who'll turn 29 on Dec. 8, has been practicing with the Canucks in their main group recently. He missed all of training camp and the preseason.

Demko last appeared in Game 1 of Vancouver's first-round playoff series against the Nashville Predators. He didn't exit that contest, but then the Canucks deemed him questionable to return for the rest of the series and he sat out for the rest of it, which they won in six games.

Tocchet said during their Round 2 matchup against the Edmonton Oilers that Demko had immensely improved, but the puck-stopper didn't return at any point in that series.

Allvin also said he hopes forward Dakota Joshua can return to the lineup at some point on Vancouver's six-game homestand, which begins Saturday against the Oilers and ends Nov. 19 against the New York Rangers. Joshua was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had a tumor removed in September. He hasn't played in 2024-25.

The Canucks came into Saturday's slate sitting second in the Pacific Division in points percentage (.708) with a 7-2-3 record.

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