The Canucks are looking for a temporary goalie.
Thatcher Demko’s knee injury is healing slower than expected, so the team is searching for short-term help. No one knows if Demko had surgery, but his rehab has been slow since June. During the playoffs, there were mixed reports about when he would return. Some said he’d miss only one series; others thought he was out for the season. The team kept listing him as week-to-week, but he never came back after winning Game 1 against the Predators.
Last year, they considered adding a veteran goalie to support Arturs Silovs during the draft and free agency but didn’t follow through. Casey DeSmith left for the Stars on a three-year deal, and Jiri Patera joined as a backup option behind Silovs.
Goalie Options:
With Demko’s status still unclear, Kevin Lankinen stands out as an available option on the UFA market. He played well as a backup in Nashville with a 20-14-1 record and .912 save percentage over two years but remains unsigned after Nashville chose Scott Wedgewood instead. Lankinen could be an affordable choice since he earned $2M last year.
Other veteran goalies like Martin Jones and Antti Raanta are also available but come with risks due to their age. Jones had a good year as Toronto’s third-stringer, while Raanta struggled with injuries and had a poor .872 save percentage in 24 games for Carolina last season.
On the trade front, Nashville might get a call from Vancouver soon. Yaroslav Askarov has asked for a trade and could be an intriguing option if Nashville decides to move Juuse Saros instead. Both goalies have strong records: Saros boasts eight seasons with save percentages above .900; Askarov has excelled in minor leagues and shown promise in limited NHL action.
Fans might think it’s exciting to see who will join next.
Vancouver could offer Askarov significant playing time right away, which might appeal to him given his potential upside in the NHL. However, it’s challenging to move away from Demko, who became Vancouver’s top goalie this season by finishing second in Vezina Trophy voting with a .918 save percentage over 51 games. He’s under contract at $5M per year for two more seasons and will likely stay their main guy even if new goalies join.
In conclusion, what do you think? Should they go big or trust their backups?
