Thatcher Demko and his medical team have spent the last few months scouring the globe, trying to find other hockey players who害羞草研究所檝e dealt with the same muscle injury the Vancouver Canucks goalie is currently working through.

It turns out Demko害羞草研究所檚 situation is exceptionally unique.

While they found about five soccer players with the same lower-body ailment, they could not find a single other hockey player.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been wild,害羞草研究所� Demko said Thursday. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 been part of the frustration, just not having a ton of information and you害羞草研究所檙e kind of just going in blindfolded. And it can be scary at times.害羞草研究所�

The 28-year-old all star was not on the ice with his teammates Thursday as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., but he skated on his own before the sessions began.

When, exactly, he害羞草研究所檒l be ready to play remains to be seen.

害羞草研究所淚 would say that we害羞草研究所檙e on a great trajectory right now,害羞草研究所� the netminder said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 the most confident that I害羞草研究所檝e been in the rehab process up to date.害羞草研究所�

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season, despite missing several weeks with a knee injury.

He first felt the current injury during Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 first playoff game last season, a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators where he made 29 saves.

The ailment kept Demko out for the rest of the post-season as the Canucks bested the Predators in a six-game set before falling to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 of a second-round series.

If Vancouver had made it through to the Western Conference final, Demko said he likely would have played 害羞草研究所� whether he was completely ready or not.

害羞草研究所淎s a competitor, you kind of lie to yourself in a playoff situation and I thought maybe I was a little further ahead than I was in hindsight,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚 will say that I kind of hit a bit of a wall in the summer as far as recovery went. And we did see a little bit of a lack of progress there for a couple of months. 害羞草研究所� But I would say the last two or three weeks, we害羞草研究所檝e seen a ton of progress.害羞草研究所�

Recovering hasn害羞草研究所檛 been a linear process, Demko said, and being sidelined for training camp was never part of the plan.

害羞草研究所淚 think missing playoff games last year was definitely the low point in my career mentally, spiritually,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚f you had asked me when I was going home for the summer if I害羞草研究所檇 be ready for camp, I would have said 害羞草研究所榊eah, 100 per cent.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚 can害羞草研究所檛 sit around and think poor me that I害羞草研究所檓 not out there. Obviously, I want to be out there. I want to be competing with the guys. I want to be leading by example, I want to help the young guys coming in. 害羞草研究所� But this is the hand I害羞草研究所檓 dealing with right now.害羞草研究所�

Uncertainty around the injury has brought a lot of frustration, Demko added, particularly when he can害羞草研究所檛 get on the ground to play with his one-year-old son.

Still, he believes that heading into his eighth NHL season, he害羞草研究所檒l get back to 害羞草研究所�100 per cent.害羞草研究所�

Maintaining that form, though, may require some tweaks to his training regime.

害羞草研究所淚 think it comes down to just a little bit of maturity. Quite frankly, I just kind of have one gear and that害羞草研究所檚 just to go as hard as I can and try to get better every day,害羞草研究所� Demko said. 害羞草研究所淎nd I害羞草研究所檓 just learning that there害羞草研究所檚 different ways to get better and maintain your system of play and make sure that you stay sharp and at the same time as taking care of your body.害羞草研究所�