NHL Trade Rumors: Canucks Have Price Tag In Mind for Thatcher Demko on Trade Market

The Vancouver Canucks went into this past season with their All-Star goaltender (and Vezina Trophy runner-up), Thatcher Demko, on the sidelines for an indefinite period. That forced them to sign free agent Kevin Lankinen, and all he did was go on to nab the Canucks' starting goalie's job, and land himself a five-year extension with a $4.5 million cap hit.

With one season left at $5 million, Demko has become a potential trade candidate. Not many teams want to tie up almost $10 million of their salary cap on their goaltending.

The Canucks do have other needs that should be addressed, especially if and when pending UFA Brock Boeser flies the coop on July 1.

According to insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, the Canucks are listening on Demko, and he posits a trade return that they'd be willing to bite on.

(The Canucks) are looking for ways to upgrade their scoring punch upfront. If they are offered a young, controllable top six forward by a team in need of a new No. 1 goaltender, that might be enough to pry Thatcher Demko out of Vancouver.

Which teams would be in on a Thatcher Demko trade?

Are the Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, and Buffalo Sabres listening? Those are the teams that are desperate for a true starting goalie, and despite a down season, Demko would still be the best option on the market, by far, for any of those clubs. The question is, which "controllable top-six forwards" would any of them be willing to trade?

For the Flyers, they just happen to have Demko's former head coach, Rick Tocchet now leading their troops. Could that be a match waiting to happen?

Demko never really found his groove and finished the 2024-25 season with a 10-8-3 record and an .889 save percentage, far below his career mark of .915 coming into the year.