Thatcher Demko, the Vancouver Canucks’ goaltender, is set to miss training camp and the preseason due to a lingering injury. Details about the injury are unclear, but the team hopes he will be ready for their season opener on October 9 against the Calgary Flames. However, there’s no certainty that he will be fit in time for the game. Demko, 28, was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2024, making his health crucial for the Canucks’ upcoming season.
The Vancouver Canucks are exploring the goalie market due to Thatcher Demko’s injury concerns. According to Rick Dhaliwal and Thomas Drance, the team has shown interest in free-agent goaltender Kevin Lankinen, who was a backup for the Nashville Predators last season. Lankinen posted solid stats with a 2.82 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. The Hockey News’ Adam Kierszenblat believes Lankinen could be a good fit as Demko’s backup, allowing prospect Arturs Silovs more development time in the AHL.
What The Statistics Say About Potential #Canucks Target Kevin Lankinen@TheHockeyNews https://t.co/3wfWZEhpi5
— Adam Kierszenblat (@Adamkblat) August 23, 2024
Kevin Lankinen, coming off a $2 million contract, could be a challenging signing for the Canucks due to their cap constraints. They might place Tucker Poolman on LTIR for some relief. Alternatives like Antti Raanta and Martin Jones are available, but Lankinen is seen as the better fit. A trade for Filip Gustavsson is also possible, but would likely require a dollar-for-dollar swap due to the Wild’s own cap issues.
