In the NHL, success isn’t just about winning now; it’s about laying the groundwork for the years ahead.

The most competitive organizations aren’t just focused on the current roster, but constantly planning for what comes next.

Nowhere is that long-view approach more critical — or more challenging to achieve — than in the crease.

And while goaltending depth has rarely been a hallmark of the Vancouver Canucks organization, that narrative has slowly been shifting.

According to General Manager Patrik Allvin, it may already have.

“I truly believe that with the addition of [Aleksei] Medvedev here this summer, our goalie pipeline is probably the strongest one in the National Hockey League,” said Allvin in his season-opening press conference.

It’s a bold statement, but not an unfounded one.

With former Vezina finalist Thatcher Demko now extended and entrenched as the starter in Vancouver and Kevin Lankinen providing a solid 1A/1B starting option, the Canucks are well-positioned at the NHL level for the next few seasons.

If everyone remains healthy, that is.

“In my [Allvin] opinion, they are the best goalie tandem in the league, which gives us a chance to win every night,” Allvin said.

But it’s the wave of talent coming behind them — Nikita Tolopilo, Ty Young, Aku Koskenvuo, and now Aleksei Medvedev — that is forming a strong foundation for years out.

With a diverse crop of netminders developing at various stages and no immediate rush to fast-track any of them, the Canucks have created an ideal environment: stable at the top, layered in the middle, and full of long-term upside at the bottom.

It’s never ideal to put pressure labels on a budding but unproven 18-year-old. Still, there’s a growing sense that newly drafted goaltender Aleksei Medvdev could be the future between the pipes in Vancouver.

It did not take him long to build a lasting impression at Development Camp and, coupled with his already glowing scouting profile, he reinforced why the Canucks prioritized calling his name with the 47th overall pick at the 2025 NHL draft in Los Angeles.

With confidence high, the Canucks wasted no time in signing the young netminder to his Entry-Level contract.

“Aleksei is an important addition to our organizational depth in goal, and his signing is a great thing for our hockey club,” said Allvin in the team’s press release. “He showed us a lot at development camp and has a bright future if he continues to build on his skill set and fundamentals. We look forward to monitoring his progress and helping him develop into a solid pro.”

With his contract in hand, he followed that Development Camp audition with a standout performance at the recent Prospect Showcase in Everett, Washington.

Despite facing a loss in his lone start, he saw north of 30 shots in Game 1 against the Seattle Kraken prospects, holding his ground to be widely considered the Canucks’ best player that night.

“He made some big saves and showed great poise,” said head coach Manny Malhotra. “He gave us a chance to stay in that game. His presence in the crease was calm, confident.”

At just 18 years old — celebrating his birthday on September 10th — Medvedev already looks the part of a poised, high-upside goaltender and, according to Patrik Allvin, will “get his taste” during the Canucks’ training camp and pre-season schedule.

But fans shouldn’t expect to see him in a Canucks uniform – apart from prospect and pre-season games – anytime soon.

Once his debut NHL training camp is finished, Medvedev will return to the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, where he was drafted 38th overall in 2023 in the OHL Priority Draft.

And it’s shaping up to be a big year for him.

Last season, he split duties in the OHL as a 17-year-old, but still managed an impressive 22-8-2 record with a 2.79 GAA and .912 save percentage.

This year, he’s expected to take over as the full-time starter for the powerhouse London Knights, the reigning Memorial Cup Champions, who give themselves a chance to win with every passing year.

And you’d be hard-pressed to find a better situation for a young and developing player than the London Knights provide. Widely considered one of the top programs in the country, the Knights run their systems as if they were a professional team and are the perfect breeding ground for a young and developing goaltender.

“It was obviously really top-notch, and it was an unreal experience.” Medvedev reflects on his rookie season in a Canucks.com feature. “I felt like the culture there was great, I loved it. All the guys were working really hard, and it was great,” he said.

With his development in good hands, there’s no rush to fast-track him, and that’s part of what makes the Canucks’ current structure so promising.

Medvedev’s timeline aligns perfectly with the transition of the other netminders in the system and offers promise years down the road.

With the departure of Arturs Silovs, the Abbotsford crease now belongs to Nikita Tolopilo, Ty Young, and Jiri Patera, who adds healthy in-house competition.

Tolopilo, who’s now spent two seasons jockeying for position with Silovs, is expected to shoulder the bulk of starts to begin the AHL campaign.

His big frame and sound techniques make him a dependable option for the farm club, and the Canucks hope that with a brand new two-year extension in hand, his game continues to stabilize as a viable and immediate call-up option.

But the real intrigue might lie in Ty Young.

The recently turned 21-year-old quietly put together an excellent year in the ECHL with Kalamazoo and will now graduate to a bigger role in the AHL, where he has already held his own with an 11-game audition in 2024-25.

With a mature, composed presence in net and solid fundamentals, Young looks ready to push for a true 1A/1B split with Tolopilo and continues to receive high praise from this organization’s brass.

“He’s added a lot more control and structure to his game. He’s very athletic and reactionary and can make big saves.” Abbotsford Goaltending Coach Justin Pogge told Lindsey Horsting of Canucks.com. At the pro level, you’re expected to make the first save, but you have to set yourself up if there is a rebound. You can’t sell the farm on the first save, you need to be in control and be able to react and re-position for the second and third opportunities.”

“He’s been thrown into the deep end, and he’s been a big surprise for how he’s adjusted so quickly from my perspective. He’s just come out of junior, and his first year pro being pretty successful.”

“I have full belief in him, and he just needs to believe in himself. Once that puck drops, it’s a hockey game. It doesn’t matter what level it’s at; you fight to give your team a chance to win, and I’m excited for him to get into more games and prove it again like he’s done before.”

His development will be under close watch, especially considering how seamlessly he’s risen through the ranks since being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 draft.

Given the gruelling back-to-back nature of the American League schedule, Young should see a healthy number of games in the upcoming season, assuming his play holds up. Together with Tolopilo, they will push each other for success, setting up for Canucks’ “next in line” goalies.

“Those guys push one another on a daily basis in practice,” said Malhotra when asked about the organization’s goaltending depth. “And it’s very similar to what you saw this weekend (Prospect Showcase) – one guy gets the start one night, the next guy steps up the next. It’s a healthy competition, and it’s been a good process and a good recipe for us.”

Rounding out the goalie stable is Finnish netminder Aku Koskenvuo, who made his own strong impression in Game 2 of the Prospect Showcase with a 21-save debut win over the Kraken’s prospects.

“He did a great job, especially down the stretch,” Malhotra said post-game. “He came up with some huge stops as the course of the game went on. He looked far more comfortable in the net in terms of rebound control and just being big and square in the net, but he did a fantastic job, obviously, on this back-to-back getting his opportunity. He made the most of it.”

While his collegiate numbers at Harvard may not have jumped off the page, Koskenvuo is seen as a goaltender with strong athletic tools and professional upside.

Now transitioning to the pro ranks, it’s likely that he will be handed the reins as the starting goaltender for the Kalamazoo Wings, much like we saw from Ty Young in 2024-25.

Having played just 39 games across three years at Harvard, he’ll get his first extended run at facing consistent starts, travel schedules and likely a good number of shots.

While his upside may not compare to that of Medvedev, he’s a player who forces internal competition amongst the group of young netminders to stay sharp and better themselves year-to-year.

What ties all goaltenders together is the organization’s commitment to long-term development and internal competition. With clear staggered timelines — Young in the AHL now, Koskenvuo just entering the pro ranks, and Medvedev still refining his game in junior — the Canucks have built a rare goaltending ecosystem where no one needs to be rushed, unless warranted.

“A sign of a healthy organization is when there are players battling for position,” said Malhotra. “Having that internal competition at the goaltending position is great. Those guys push one another on a daily basis… it’s been a good process and a good recipe for us.”

The Canucks don’t need to crown a successor today — and that’s the luxury. Whether one of these three emerges as Demko’s heir or they form a rotating future tandem, the foundation is there. And it’s only getting stronger.