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

It turns out Demko含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 been wild,含羞草研究社� Demko said Thursday. 含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 been part of the frustration, just not having a ton of information and you含羞草研究社檙e kind of just going in blindfolded. And it can be scary at times.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檒l be ready to play remains to be seen.

含羞草研究社淚 would say that we含羞草研究社檙e on a great trajectory right now,含羞草研究社� the netminder said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 the most confident that I含羞草研究社檝e been in the rehab process up to date.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社� whether he was completely ready or not.

含羞草研究社淎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,含羞草研究社� he said.

含羞草研究社淚 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. 含羞草研究社� But I would say the last two or three weeks, we含羞草研究社檝e seen a ton of progress.含羞草研究社�

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

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

含羞草研究社淚 can含羞草研究社檛 sit around and think poor me that I含羞草研究社檓 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. 含羞草研究社� But this is the hand I含羞草研究社檓 dealing with right now.含羞草研究社�

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

Still, he believes that heading into his eighth NHL season, he含羞草研究社檒l get back to 含羞草研究社�100 per cent.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淚 think it comes down to just a little bit of maturity. Quite frankly, I just kind of have one gear and that含羞草研究社檚 just to go as hard as I can and try to get better every day,含羞草研究社� Demko said. 含羞草研究社淎nd I含羞草研究社檓 just learning that there含羞草研究社檚 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.含羞草研究社�