Canucks sign free agent goalie Kevin Lankinen to cheap contract
The Vancouver Canucks have added to their goaltending depth just weeks before the start of the regular season.
The team announced today they have agreed to terms with free agent Kevin Lankinen. While the Canucks first contract offer was not enough to get a deal done, that did not stop the team from continuing to explore this option.
He went 11-6-0 last season with a 2.82 goals-against-average and a .908% save percentage with the Nashville Predators.
“It just adds to the whole goalie department,” said head coach Rick Tocchet in Penticton just minutes after the signing was made official. “We did a lot of film on him and he’s a good goaltender so we’re excited to have him.”
“I think he picked our team because because he likes the way we play. He told Patrik that, so that’s nice to hear and he’s a really good NHL goalie.”
The contract is worth $875,000 for one season.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the #Canucks have agreed to terms with G Kevin Lankinen on a one-year contract worth $875K.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) September 21, 2024
āKevin is an experienced NHL player who will add to our depth in goal,ā said Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin in a press release. āHe had a solid season last year in Nashville and has the size and skillset we like in a netminder. We look forward to getting him here to start working with our group.ā
Lankinen is expected to join the Canucks on the ice Monday in Vancouver after training camp has finished.
Regular starter Thatcher Demko has not participated in team practices at training camp yet and this means the organization is thin in the crease. His return date is not known and the team could be without their Vezina-caliber goalie for a few weeks.
Without Demko in the fold, the team was preparing to start the season with Arturs Silovs and Jiri Patera as their netminders. Together they have fewer than 30 games of NHL experience, regular season and playoffs.
The 29-year-old Lankinen has more than 100 games played at the NHL level and put up solid numbers last season for the Predators. He will help reinforce the crease while Demko is out.
The big hold up in the Lankinen negotiations was the money. The Canucks were doing their best to not start the season using long-term injury reserve. However, as injuries pile up at training camp, it’s looking like they may have no choice.
There are other creative options that would let the Canucks stay under the salary cap even after the addition of Lankinen, although none are painless. They will either have to waive a player or part with some sort of asset. It remains to be seen what the team will do as they get closer to the start of the regular season.
The Canucks finish training camp tomorrow and start preseason next week. Their first regular season game is on October 9 against the Calgary Flames.