On yesterday’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal checked in after day three of Vancouver’s training camp in Penticton and focused on the Canucks’ recent signing of Kevin Lankinen to a 1-year, $875,000 deal, which adds some much-needed depth to the team’s goaltender room.
“Kevin is an experienced NHL player who will add to our depth in goal,” general manager Patrik Allvin said earlier today when announcing the signing.
The news didn’t come as a shock to many, especially Harm and Quads, who had already observed the Canucks’ need to address their goalie situation during training camp. Lankinen was widely regarded as the best available option for Vancouver to bring in.
“The biggest takeaway for me was how underwhelming Patera has been (in training camp),” said Harm. “This isn’t to say he’ll struggle in the regular season or that it was a bad signing by any means. But if you’re Patrik Allvin, Jim Rutherford, or Rick Tocchet, watching training camp with uncertainty around Demko’s status and looking at your options for a No. 2 goalie, I had no confidence in Patera. Today, he was consistently getting beaten by shots he should probably stop, and even when he made saves, he looked uncomfortable with rebound control. The urgency was building—whether to sign Lankinen or claim someone off waivers. The Canucks needed to act, and Lankinen is probably better than anyone they could’ve picked up on waivers.”
The duo also mentioned that Lankinen will likely be a better option than Casey DeSmith, who served as the Canucks’ backup and part-time starter when Demko was injured last year. While DeSmith had some strong performances, his inconsistency ultimately overshadowed his season.
“And they got Lankinen for cheaper and with fewer years; I was very surprised by this contract,” said Quads, referring to Lankinen taking DeSmith’s spot. “It’s a game of chicken that ended in the Canucks’ favor. Dhaliwal reported this was Vancouver’s original offer, and Lankinen came down and agreed to terms. When they signed Patera, they viewed him as someone who *could* potentially become an NHL backup, not as the actual backup. At the time, they thought Demko would be healthy. But by mid-August, they found out Demko would be out longer than expected, so they reached out to Lankinen. This is a really solid signing for the Canucks. Kevin Lankinen is a very capable NHL goaltender, and I think he’ll start more games than Arturs Silovs at the NHL level this year.”
“He’s more established at this level,” Harm agreed. “From Silovs’ perspective, there’s no downside to going to Abbotsford and playing the majority of games there. He’ll likely still get a decent number of NHL games due to the uncertainty surrounding Demko, but he hasn’t fully mastered the AHL yet. He had his ups and downs and was quite streaky in the AHL, so there’s a lot for him to gain by handling a bigger workload, dealing with highs and lows, and working on consistency. We know he has the athleticism and tools, and his potential is high, but splitting time between Vancouver and Abbotsford won’t hurt his development.”
“From Lankinen’s perspective, this is a one-year contract and a chance to prove himself in a solid defensive environment,” Quads noted. “I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people. He’ll be the starter over Silovs, and when Demko is healthy, Lankinen will stay on as the backup.”
The guys then discussed their standout players after three days of training camp in Penticton. Filip Hronek and Jonathan Lekkerimäki were two guys who caught their attention.
Harm started by praising Hronek: “He’s not only playing on a different pair than Hughes but also in separate groups. He’s really taking his responsibility of playing with Pettersson seriously. He’s having conversations about tips and instructions, being very vocal, and he looks more assertive and comfortable as a leader. Normally, Hronek is pretty shy and reserved on the ice, but he’s been noticeably taking charge and looks locked in. His physicality and competitiveness have stood out, and he’s been playing with an edge, drawing some ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ with slick plays. Tocchet even mentioned that not only has Hronek been playing at a high level on the ice, but he’s also been very vocal as a leader. Tocchet said he sent him a text after the first day of camp to tell him how impressed he was.”
Next, the conversation shifted to Lekkerimäki, with the guys noting that his impressive camp performance has given him a better shot at making the NHL team this year than many had expected.
“Up until today, I didn’t really consider it a legitimate chance that he would stay in that spot,” said Harm. “But the more I watch him play, the more I think he’s got an opportunity. I don’t think he’s necessarily the favorite to stick with the main team for the full 82 games, but he’s going to get a real crack at it- especially if he impresses in the preseason. His hockey IQ and playmaking off the rush have been really impressive. Considering the Canucks are focusing on being a team that attacks more off the rush, does that give Lekkerimäki a better chance?
You can watch the full replay of the show below:
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