The Vancouver Canucks have bolstered their goaltending depth by signing Kevin Lankinen to a one-year contract worth $875,000 for the 2024–25 season. The deal, announced by GM Patrik Allvin on Saturday, comes at a crucial time as the team looks to secure reliable backup support while star netminder Thatcher Demko continues his recovery. Demko, who remains without a clear timeline for his return, has left Canucks fans anxious for updates on his health.
Lankinen, a 29-year-old Finnish goalie with four seasons of NHL experience, joins the Canucks after a solid stint with the Nashville Predators. In the 2023-24 season, Lankinen posted an 11-6-8 record with a 2.82 goals-against average (GAA), a .908 save percentage (SV%), and one shutout in 24 games. While regarded as a dependable backup, Lankinen isn’t expected to fill a starting role long-term, making his signing a temporary solution while Demko works his way back to full fitness.
Lankinen began his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2020 and has played in 112 career NHL games. Over that span, he holds a 45-43-12 record, a 3.07 GAA, a .905 save percentage, and three shutouts. He will now partner with Arturs Silovs as the Canucks’ primary goaltenders until Demko is ready to return.
Demko, 28, recently provided an update on his recovery after Thursday’s practice, offering a somewhat cryptic response about his progress. “I would say it hasn’t been linear,” Demko said, according to TSN’s Farhan Lalji. “There’s a lack of research. I don’t know too much about what this looks like full picture at the end of the process.”
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Demko’s absence has been deeply felt by the Canucks, especially after a strong 2023-24 campaign where he finished second in Vezina Trophy voting. In that season, Demko put up an impressive 35-14-2 record, with a 2.45 GAA, a .918 save percentage, and five shutouts across 51 games. While Lankinen’s arrival provides temporary security, all eyes remain on Demko as fans eagerly await his full return to the crease.
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