Confirmed Signing with Link: [VAN] G Kevin Lankinen signs with the Canucks (1 year, $875k)

[Canucks LB]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1837583069307646176

https://x.com/i/web/status/1837585274341146885

Click to read more...

 

[kcunac]

I’m not so sure it marks any difference to Demko’s injury status so much as Lankinin caved. Demko was probably always likely to miss games and then need a slow reintroduction - if at all. The injury is apparently unprecedented so who knows. Canucks weren’t willing to go into LTIR to address that risk and Lankinen caved; credit to Alvin.

Canucks probably promised Lankenin that they would trade him if and when Demko was healthy and he wouldn’t have to be in a long term three headed rotation with Silovs. There will be teams looking for goalies after injuries in the season. In the meantime, Lankinen needs NHL action, which he will get with Vancouver.

 

[Shareefruck]

It's also entirely possible that Lankinen outplays Silovs and/or the kid even takes a step back from his play in the playoffs, in which case Silovs can go down to the minors as well.

 

[Wry n Ginger]

That is ridiculous value. Almost feel bad for Lankinen...hopefully he has an amazing season and gets a good, long-term contract after this year.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Does not exactly show him a ton of confidence, I do wonder if he struggled at training camps or something?

I think it's more to give Silvos a chance to make mistakes without being thrown right back in pretty much every night. We'll likely platoon both him and Lankinen until Demko is ready.

 

[MessierII]

Bad sign for the Canucks.

 

[Three On Zero]

Bad sign for the Canucks.

Nothing about it is a bad sign, they always wanted another goalie

 

[Three On Zero]

I think it's more to give Silvos a chance to make mistakes without being thrown right back in pretty much every night. We'll likely platoon both him and Lankinen until Demko is ready.

This, if Silovs is relied on the team needs a solid backup plan so they don’t derail is progression. Even with Demko 100% healthy they were going to get another goalie to ease Silov’s workload

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Good move. I’m not as confident in Silovs as some. He played better in the playoffs than expected but his save percentage was still .881 in a small sample size.
Demko needs to play a lot less games this year as his workload has been crazy.
Acquiring Laniken allows them to do that.

 

[Soundgarden]

He was really good in Nashville, wish we re-signed him had we known Askarov was gonna be gone.

 

[Peter Griffin]

He was really good in Nashville, wish we re-signed him had we known Askarov was gonna be gone.

Why not offer him the deal Wedgewood got in that case? Or was it just a matter of Lankinen and his agent overplaying their hand earlier in the offseason?

 

[Paulinbc]

well this gives me great relief.

 

[jackjohnson]

Bad sign for the Canucks.

So signing a better goalie than skinner for 800K is a bad sign for Canucks?? Actually with Demko injured or not we needed another backup like Lanky. A reliable backup that allows Canucks to be able to have another option if Silovs falters or gets injured. Depth is very important and Canucks have that in spades when it comes to goalies: Demko, Lankenin, Silovs, Tolopilo, Fergusen etc. It allows Canucks to also reduce Demko workload.

 

[biturbo19]

I like it. Price is cheap. Obviously don't love what it implies about Demko's health (and possibly even Silovs as well). But most of the rumblings on Demko seem...not great. So this is really solid "insurance" to be able to pick up a solid backup goaltender on the eve of the season like this, for a second year in a row.


Gives Lankinen an opportunity to play for a good team...should get a decent workload splitting with Silovs until Demko is back. Silovs was decent in the playoffs, but still very inexperienced and it's hard to say he's ready for a "starters" workload, even if just for a couple months, but especially if it ends up being longer.

Kind of an awkward situation potentially when Demko is ready to roll...in that you have to either demote your young future guy in Silovs, or bury a guy in Lankinen that you just signed, ostensibly on the idea that he was going to get significant NHL starts this year. But you can sort of cross that bridge when you come to it...and hopefully Silovs doesn't feel too undermined in the whole process. I think it should still be pretty clear to him that he's the future, with a clear path to significant starts behind un-durable Demko, even if it ends up with him spending some more time in the AHL this year.



It's the sort of move the Canucks kind of had to make, in light of the Demko situation. Can't afford to be slow coming out of the gates, or have shaky goaltending costing them points and digging a hole early. Not with expectations where they're now ratcheted up to for this season.

 

[Soundgarden]

Why not offer him the deal Wedgewood got in that case? Or was it just a matter of Lankinen and his agent overplaying their hand earlier in the offseason?

probably the latter.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Sprong and Lankinen could give Vancouver some interesting TDL moves

Yeah I've noticed that with the way the Canucks contracts are structured, in the absolute worst case scenario, if they have a terrible start, and are missing the playoffs by deadline, they can actually do a quick re-tool, and build around Pettersson, Miller, Hronek, core in the future.

 

[Three On Zero]

Yeah I've noticed that with the way the Canucks contracts are structured, in the absolute worst case scenario, if they have a terrible start, and are missing the playoffs by deadline, they can actually do a quick re-tool, and build around Pettersson, Miller, Hronek, core in the future.

It’s weird seeing Vancouver with an actual decent management group that thinks a step ahead.