Canucks activate Thatcher Demko off injured reserve

A former Vezina Trophy finalist might be returning to game action.

On Monday, Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced the team has taken goaltender Thatcher Demko off injured reserve.

It’s been speculated that Demko will make his return to the lineup when the Canucks take on the New Jersey Devils on Monday night. It will be his first game action after leaving a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 8 with a lower-body injury. The 29-year-old was placed on injured reserve a few weeks later.

Demko has been practicing with the team, but there are reports that he is being activated after head coach Rick Tocchet told reporters that goaltender Kevin Lankinen wasn’t feeling well during Saturday’s 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers.

It has been a difficult season for Demko, who has been hampered by injuries throughout his young career. He missed the first two months of this season after recovering from a knee injury that knocked him out of last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. Then, back spasms cause him to leave another game prematurely in January.

When Demko has been in the lineup, he has looked far from the guy who led Vancouver to the best record in the Western Conference a season ago. In 17 appearances, the former Boston College netminder has a 6-6-3 record with a 2.87 goals-against average, a .891 save percentage and one shutout. Granted, he was victorious in his last two starts before the injury.

There are hopes that Demko’s return can rejuvenate Vancouver, a team that is watching its playoff hopes dwindle with April in sight. The Canucks have lost three of their last four games, including last Thursday to the St. Louis Blues, the team holding the last Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

The Canucks (32-26-12) come into Monday night fifth in the Pacific Division, five points back of the Blues.