VANCOUVER – More than seven months since undergoing major surgery on his hips, Thatcher Demko isn’t yet ready to play for the Vancouver Canucks. But Kevin Lankinen is.

Signed two years ago to back up Demko, who was then returning from a serious knee injury after finishing second in Vezina Trophy balloting, Lankinen has instead been, essentially, the Canucks’ starter the last two seasons.

With Wednesday’s announcement by general manager Ryan Johnson that Demko will be at training camp in Penticton but is not ready to practise with the main group, it seems likely that Lankinen could again be leaned on heavily when the Canucks’ regular season opens on Sept. 29.

“Of course, I've had a front-row seat and I know how hard Thatcher has worked,” Lankinen told Sportsnet on Wednesday at Rogers Arena before the team travelled to the Okanagan Valley for the opening of camp on Thursday morning. “He's putting everything on the line, you know, turning over every single stone. I'm really happy to see him come back because I know the path he's been going through, and it's not an easy path. But he's a competitor, a great pro who does everything he can. He's a big part of the team and he’s going to help our team win when he gets back.

“Before that, it's everybody else's job to chip in, and I'm really excited for another opportunity. You know, this is my third year and it's been more or less the same thing (filling in for Demko). I'm more prepared than I’ve ever been before. I had a great summer, had some really good experiences the past couple years that I’ve been able to learn from, and I’m just really excited to get going here.”

Knee, groin and hip injuries........

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