In a bid to strengthen their roster and address an injury crisis in net, the Vancouver Canucks have signed veteran goaltender Kevin Lankinen to a one-year contract worth $875,000. The 29-year-old Finnish goalie, with 119 NHL games under his belt, is expected to play a crucial role as the team begins its pre-season preparations.
The Canucks are facing a challenging situation, with both of their regular goaltenders dealing with injuries. While Arturs Silovs is slated to start the pre-season, concerns arose when he was pulled from an Olympic Qualifying match due to knee inflammation. Meanwhile, Thatcher Demko’s return is uncertain after he suffered a setback while recovering from a complex muscle injury that caused him to miss last year’s playoffs. Demko has publicly stated that no other player has faced a similar injury, and while he will eventually return, he may have to manage the issue for the rest of his career, according to Elliotte Friedman.
Given these concerns, the Canucks were in urgent need of a reliable goaltender ahead of training camp. Lankinen, who broke into the NHL with an impressive performance for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2020-21 season and most recently served as a solid backup for the Nashville Predators, seems like a smart choice. Over his NHL career, Lankinen has maintained a respectable .905 save percentage and brings valuable experience to the table.
Silovs, who proved last season that he can compete at a high level, will likely assume the starting role in Demko’s absence. However, should Silovs struggle, Lankinen provides the team with much-needed depth and insurance.
Last season, the Canucks made notable progress, pushing the Edmonton Oilers to a seven-game series in the playoffs, even without their star goaltender. With their sights set on another deep playoff run, the team is doing everything possible to get Demko healthy, but until then, they will rely on Silovs and Lankinen to carry them through the regular season.
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