4 free agent goalies Canucks could sign as Demko insurance
We’re still a month away from training camp, but there’s already drama concerning the Vancouver Canucks.
It doesn’t sound like Thatcher Demko is healthy, with CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reporting that the team is looking to acquire another goalie to lighten the load in case he’s not ready to go at the start of the season.
Arturs Silovs is set to be Demko’s backup next season, and the other goalies in the organization are also light on NHL experience. The 23-year-old Latvian has played just 19 NHL games in his career, with 10 of those coming during the 2024 playoffs.
Jiri Patera and Nikita Tolopilo are expected to share the net in Abbotsford next season. They have just eight games of NHL experience combined.
So the Canucks are looking to acquire another goalie, but finding the right netminder might not be so straightforward. It makes sense to acquire a goalie with NHL experience, but they also need someone cheap enough to send to Abbotsford once Demko is healthy. The goalie they acquire must also be willing to accept an AHL demotion.
But beggars can’t be choosers.
There aren’t many options for free agent goalies right now, and a chance to get meaningful NHL minutes should be intriguing. After all, veteran goalies need to pass through waivers before being sent to the minors, and NHL-calibre goalies are a hot commodity once the season starts.
Here’s a look at the four best free agent goalie options available.
1. Kevin Lankinen (Nashville Predators)
- Age: 29
- Size: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds
- 2023-24 NHL stats: 24 GP, .908 SV%, 2.82 GAA
The most expensive goaltender on this list is Kevin Lankinen, who is surprisingly still available in free agency. The 29-year-old Finn is coming off his fourth NHL season and posted a .908 save percentage in 24 games with the Nashville Predators last year.
He has 112 games of NHL experience and has a respectable .905 save percentage in his career. Those are good numbers for a backup.
2. Antti Raanta (Carolina Hurricanes)
- Age: 35
- Size: 6-foot-0, 195 pounds
- 2023-24 NHL stats: 24 GP, .872 SV%, 3.54 GAA
The second Finnish goalie on this list, Antti Raanta has had a good NHL career but has been riddled with injuries. He’s 35 now, and it’s unclear how many good years he has left… if any.
Raanta had a disappointing season in Carolina, posting a .872 save percentage in 24 games. He also appeared in eight AHL games with a .873 save percentage.
Prior to last season, though, Raanta had nine straight seasons with the Blackhawks, Rangers, Coyotes, and Hurricanes in which he posted a save percentage of at least .905.
3. Martin Jones (Toronto Maple Leafs)
- Age: 34
- Size: 6-foot-5, 203 pounds
- 2023-24 NHL stats: 22 GP, .902 SV%, 2.87 GAA
Is it time to bring Martin Jones home?
The North Vancouver native is without a contract following a solid season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 34-year-old is in the twilight of his career and has seen his numbers slip from his heyday as the starting goalie of the San Jose Sharks.
But with 466 NHL games on his resume, Jones does seem to fit the profile of what the Canucks are looking for.
4. Malcolm Subban (St. Louis Blues)
- Age: 30
- Size: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds
- 2023-24 NHL stats: 1 GP, .914 SV%, 3.00 GAA
Malcolm Subban played the majority of last season in the AHL but has 87 games of NHL experience on his resume. The 30-year-old brother of P.K. Subban, Malcol, played 31 AHL games for the St. Louis Blues’ affiliate in Springfield, posting a .907 save percentage.
Subban has played just one NHL game in the last two seasons but could be a short-term stopgap for the Canucks.