VANCOUVER — As they’ve collected momentum during the National Hockey League pre-season, the Vancouver Canucks have also built up their leadership. This second construction project predates the first.

Goalie Thatcher Demko is passionate about both.

This time last year, the most important Canuck not named Quinn Hughes was still lost deep in injury uncertainty. With his rare and confounding torn popliteus muscle destabilizing his knee, Demko didn’t know last September when he would play again. On the darkest days, it was difficult to say if he’d play again.

Now fully healthy and fully empowered by new head coach Adam Foote to take a greater role in leadership, Demko starts the Canucks’ final pre-season game Friday against the Edmonton Oilers and feels ready to help lead the team into what

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