Demko's days could be numbered in Vancouver and Boeser's Canucks future is murky too
Kevin Lankinen wasn’t supposed to be a long-term solution for the Vancouver Canucks.
Signed as a free agent in late September, Lankinen ended up in Vancouver for two reasons: he was available, and he was cheap.
That’s no longer the case, as Lankinen re-signed with the Canucks on a five-year deal worth $4.5 million per season. That’s not backup money.
It begs the question: what does this mean for Thatcher Demko?
The oft-injured Canucks star netminder is banged up again, and you have to wonder if he’ll ever be able to stay healthy for a long period of time. Demko has appeared in just 17 games this season, posting a 6-6-3 record with a .891 save percentage.
What do the Canucks do with Demko?
There aren’t many teams in the NHL spending as much money on two goalies as the Canucks are scheduled to do next season, with $9.5 million committed to Demko and Lankinen.
Only the Florida Panthers ($14.5M), New York Islanders ($11M), and Tampa Bay Lightning ($10.28M) have them beat, while the New York Rangers will join that list when Igor Shesterkin’s new $11.5 million contract kicks in.
When healthy, Demko is one of the best goalies in the NHL. But will teams be willing to give up for the 29-year-old now, given his inability to stay healthy?
Vancouver could hold onto both goalies, delaying the decision another year. But is that just delaying the inevitable?
Keeping both Demko and Lankinen is the conservative option, but it also guarantees that at least $4.5 million in salary is sitting on the bench at any given time. Could that money be better spent elsewhere?
What about Boeser?
The Canucks have now signed three pending unrestricted free agents in the last 16 days, in Lankinen, Marcus Pettersson, and Drew Connor.
Four pending UFAs remain unsigned in Pius Suter, Noah Juulsen, Derek Forbort, and most notably, Brock Boeser.
Boeser’s numbers are down from last season, when he scored a career-high 40 goals and 73 points. The Minnesota native has 18 goals and 35 points in 48 games this season.
Insider reports have not painted a rosy picture regarding contract negotiations between the Canucks and Boeser. While many believe Boeser wants to stay, Canucks management appears to be lukewarm on the 27-year-old.
Negotiations have been quiet all season, according to CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal. At this point, it seems a Boeser breakup seems inevitable.
Today’s report from Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects doesn’t leave much room for optimism.
I'm told that both Brock Boeser and the Canucks understand what each side wants… and it's not the same thing at this point.
Teams continue to call on him, while the club considers the value of using him as their own rental for a playoff run if common ground can't be found.
— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) February 21, 2025
With just two weeks away from the March 7 trade deadline and the Canucks holding down the last playoff spot in the Western Conference, GM Patrik Allvin has a decision to make.
Does he hold on to Boeser past March 7 and risk losing him for nothing? Or should Allvin deal one of his best goal-scorers and take a long-term approach?
Guess we’ll soon find out.