The Vancouver Canucks are perfectly positioned for an unexpected tank.
However, there’s one thing that could alter the course.
Thatcher Demko and Elias Pettersson are both currently out of the lineup, leaving the Canucks without their number one goaltender or top centre.
A return for either of those players would give the Canucks a boost, whether fans want that or not.
After the loss on Monday night, Foote was asked if Nikita Tolopilo would start for the Canucks in their next game, which is on Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres. Tolopilo subbed in for Kevin Lankinen on Monday night after the Finnish netminder allowed three goals on 13 shots.
“Well… Demko will be going Thursday, probably,” Foote said. “Demko will probably be back for us.”
Last week, Foote suggested that Demko could return on Thursday, although he didn’t say it with a ton of confidence.
Lankinen hasn’t been able to repeat his heroics from last season with Demko missing in action. In 2024-25, he almost single-handedly kept the Canucks in the playoff race, with an 11-3-2 record and a .909 save percentage over his first 16 games.
After 16 games this season, Lankinen is 4-9-3 with a .881 save percentage.
“I thought he was a little off, even though we did have mistakes,” Foote said postgame.
“Lanks has been a good pro, but sometimes, it’s just not your night.”
The Canucks head coach also gave an update on the injured Pettersson, who missed his second straight game on Monday.
“I know he felt better today, which is a good sign,” Foote said.
“I’ll know more in the next couple of days as far as a time frame. I don’t want to touch on that yet.”
The Canucks practice on Tuesday and Wednesday, so we should have a more definitive answer on Pettersson’s status before Vancouver hosts Buffalo at Rogers Arena on Thursday night.