Canucks sign goalie Lankinen to 1-year deal
The Vancouver Canucks signed unrestricted free-agent goaltender Kevin Lankinen to a one-year pact worth $875,000, the team announced Saturday.
Lankinen appeared in 24 games as a backup for the Nashville Predators in 2023-24, logging an 11-6-0 record to go along with a .908 save percentage and 2.82 goals against average.
The signing gives the Canucks more insurance between the pipes. Vezina Trophy finalist Thatcher Demko is sidelined with a unique muscle injury, and though he has "full confidence" he'll get back to 100%, he has no return timeline.
Before bringing in Lankinen, Vancouver would have had to largely rely on rookie Arturs Silovs until Demko returned. Though Silovs showed plenty of promise during the Canucks' playoff run, he only has a combined 19 games of NHL experience under his belt.
Lankinen, meanwhile, has played in 112 contests, split between the Chicago Blackhawks and Predators. The 29-year-old owns a career .905 save percentage and 3.07 goals against average.
He played out this past season on a one-year, $2-million deal.