Halford & Brough in the Morning Will Thatcher Demko Ever Return To Full Health?
Mar 2, 2026
Dennis Bernstein, Sirius XM NHL Radio reporter covering the LA Kings, offers sharp takes on recent coaching moves and organizational direction. Kevin Woodley, NHL.com and InGoal analyst, breaks down the Canucks, goaltending health questions and trade-deadline strategy. They dive into Thatcher Demko’s hip surgery context, roster decisions, and what teams might do next.
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Pettersson's Deployment Signals Bigger Contract Problem
- Elias Pettersson's reduced deployment reflects recurring concerns about his pace and role since his big contract, creating trade-deadline timing pressure.
- Kevin Woodley frames it as a two-year decline where the team hoped to recapture past form but now faces tough decisions on moving him or keeping salary risk.
Be Proactive At The Trade Deadline
- Teams should clear out pending UFAs at the trade deadline and actively seek assets instead of passively listening to offers.
- Woodley warns the Canucks must be proactive or risk repeating past failures of keeping players they would later lose for nothing.
Hip Surgery Could Free Demko's Butterfly But Uncertainty Remains
- Jim Rutherford believes Thatcher Demko's recurring issues may stem from hip problems and that a second hip surgery could fix his mobility.
- Woodley cautions outcomes vary: some goalies regain full range and stop secondary groin issues, while repeat surgery adds uncertainty.