Demko May Not Be Ready For Start of Season

CHN Staff Report

BOSTON — Boston College goaltender Thatcher Demko may not be ready for the start of the hockey season, BC head coach Jerry York told Scott McLaughlin of WEEI on Monday. Members of Hockey East and the media gathered for the league's media day at TD Garden.

Demko had offseason surgery on his hips. It's the same surgery Connecticut goaltender Rob Nichols had in the offseason. Last week, The Hartford Courant reported that Nichols was just back on the ice and had yet to be cleared for game action. Nichols had also yet to skate on back-to-back days, according to the report.

In 35 games last season, Demko posted a .925 save percentage and a 2.19 goals-against average. He was selected in the second round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks.

Nichols was stellar for UConn last season, backstopping the Huskies in their first Hockey East season with a .918 save percentage and a 2.73 goals-against average in 35 starts. Nichols had posted a save percentage near .930 until the team struggled down the stretch in February.