Confirmed Signing with Link: [VAN] G Kevin Lankinen signs extension with the Canucks (5 years, $4.5M AAV)

[Ollie Weeks]

Good for him.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Demko is way pass the line of injury prone

 

[Breakers]

Sucks for Demko

His body is failing him in real time
Really good goalie

But I don’t think he’ll get that final contract that he wants

Don’t think he’ll get anything over 4 years

 

[Peter Griffin]

More term on cap than I was expecting but this guy has literally saved the Canucks’ season. I’m guessing management has decided Demko isn’t someone they can rely on going forward and you can’t blame them at all for that.

 

[Lunatik]

Huh.

I am always leery of giving goalies that much term when they haven't been a full-time starter before... he hasn't played 40+ games in a season in almost a decade.

 

[Inflict]

I was beginning to question why the Canucks would want to sign Lankinen when they have Demko, even with his injury history, but then I saw that Demko is already 29. Time sure flies by. This is the right move for the Canucks and they should probably trade Demko if they can get a good return.

 

[Soups On]

This is nuts!

Lankinen is just an above average NHL backup

Not this season - with Demko out, Lankinen kept the Canucks relevant despite the chaos in the locker room and on ice. He's been exceptional for the Canucks and he's earned the pay. Was hoping he would sign at a 3x3.5 or something like that but that was wishful on my part after the season he's had.

 

[John Belushi]

That’s exactly where I thought it was going to be.

Has absolutely earned it.

If you’re wondering, here were the comparables.

Logan Thompson: 6 years x $5.85M

MacKenzie Blackwood: 5 years x $5.25M

Joey Daccord: 5 years x $5M

How is he anywhere comparable to those three?

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

That’s exactly where I thought it was going to be.

Has absolutely earned it.

If you’re wondering, here were the comparables.

Logan Thompson: 6 years x $5.85M

MacKenzie Blackwood: 5 years x $5.25M

Joey Daccord: 5 years x $5M

All of those goalies are posting far better overall and especially goals saved above expected than Lankinen. Canucks issue this season has been inability to generate offense, but their actual defending to prevent quality chances have been great compared to the rest of the league. Lankinen being much better than Demko and Silovs is more a testament of just how poorly those two have played rather than Lankinen being excellent. Lankinen has been a tiny bit above average at best when you factor the season as a whole.

 

[StickShift]

The timing of this and the Demko injury is pretty conspicuous. I think Vancouver will try and move on from Demko. Either trade him this off-season to whoever wants to take the gamble, or let him play out the last year of his contract before he walks as a UFA.

 

[Fatass]

Is Lankonen a starter or more of a 1b?

 

[SEALBound]

I think we're going to start seeing some "sticker shock" with the cap going up as much as it is.

I also imagine this is Vancouver's way of saying but not saying that they are done with Demko, at least as a #1 being paid as a #1.

 

[Peter Griffin]

That’s exactly where I thought it was going to be.

Has absolutely earned it.

If you’re wondering, here were the comparables.

Logan Thompson: 6 years x $5.85M

MacKenzie Blackwood: 5 years x $5.25M

Joey Daccord: 5 years x $5M

His comparable will be closer to what Charlie Lindgren gets. Those three guys you’ve listed are all top 10 in goals saved above expected this season, Lankinen is 38th.

 

[CharasLazyWrister]

As I’ve said before, there is no comparable to an NHL goaltender in terms of the speed at which one can earn a multi-million dollar long term guaranteed contract.

Put in a solid 15+ game stretch for a team and you are golden.

Just to clarify. I’m not speaking out for or against the deal. I don’t have anywhere close to the knowledge needed to have a valid opinion on this particular player. But I do find it mind boggling how no forward or defenseman could ever come close to earning such a contract with such a small sample size.

Really should have taken my best friend in childhood seriously and tried to take my street ho hockey goalie skills to the next level.

 

[Czechboy]

Sadly, I see nothing but bad news.

I don't think the contract will age well
I think it means Demko is done

Lankinen and Silovs isn't it.

I'm speculating and could be wrong of course.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Even if Demko is cooked, that's still quite the term...

 

[Bone Density]

NMC in the first two seasons means Demko is likely gone.

 

[CupofOil]

He's a 30 year old that never started more than 37 games, this is a wild contract. If it was a 2 year deal at that AAV then sure but 5 years? Seems crazy to me but with the cap projected to shoot up maybe not that bad of a risk I suppose. If he becomes merely an average #1 that's a solid deal but BIG if.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Not a fan of the term, but 5 years seems to be the magic number to get goalies to sign. Could be a great contract, could be a lemon. Always hard to tell with goalies it seems.

 

[shaner8989]

Demko is donzo. 4.5 is also pretty cheap considering how much the cap is going up.

 

[bossram]

Yeah, this is excessive. Goaltending is voodoo, so this is probably going to look bad at some point.

 

[Fatass]

NMC in the first two seasons means Demko is likely gone.

Yup. Demko will be unloaded in the offseason.

 

[Diablo2020]

Guy has singlehandidly saved our season.

Worth every penny of 4.5 but i'll admit the term is one or two years too long.

And fans thought we'd maybe sell high while 3 points up on a playoff spot. HAHAHA.

This was always the end game. Look around the league at soon to be available tendys..

Even retained to half is John Gibson an upgrade on Lankinen considering the cost to aquire?

Was Ville Husso going to be next years Lankinen for Vancouver?

Options were few and far between, Lankinen is a solid bet.

 

[Canucks LB]

Here’s another fun way of looking at it per @Vector

 

[Empoleon8771]

Here’s another fun way of looking at it per @Vector

Replacing Miller, Heinen and Desharnais with Pettersson, O'Connor and Lankinen isn't exactly a good trade off with the cap.