The Vancouver Canucks entered this season with major question marks surrounding their goalie situation.
Starter Thatcher Demko was dealing with and continues to deal with a mysterious knee injury, which left the team with an inexperienced duo leading the way. The late summer addition of Kevin Lankinen added some NHL experience but far from quelled all concerns.
Through the first month and change of the season, Lankinen has not only stolen the crease from Arturs Silovs but he’s also played like an elite NHL goalie. The Finnish netminder has a 6-0-2 record, meaning the Canucks have picked up at least a point in every game he starts.
He hasn’t just been good; he’s been exceptional. Lankinen leads all goalies with at least five games played in goals-against average. He also has a .923% save percentage, one of the best in the league.
NHL.com
The advanced analytics like Lankinen’s performance as well. While his expected goals against average is low due to the team’s strong defensive play, analytics site MoneyPuck has him saving an extra 0.185 goals-above-expected-per-60-minutes.
Lankinen’s performance hasn’t only been great for the Canucks in the short-term, it’s also allowed the team to be patient with Demko’s recovery. There is no need for the injured goalie to rush back, as the team is getting plenty of saves with
When Demko does return to the ice, the Canucks will have one of the most devastating goalie duo’s across the entire league.
Lankinen is playing so well that he’s forcing his way onto Team Finland for next spring’s 4 Nations Face-Off. While the nation has star Juuse Saros, who will likely start in net, Lankinen’s numbers mean he should make the roster and play a role.
The Canucks struck gold with their late summer goalie signing. Lankinen is a huge reason this team is off to a fast start, and if he keeps this up, he’ll be a key part of the team for the entire season.