Kevin Lankinen linked to powerhouse Western Conference team per insider

A new update has surfaced regarding the Vancouver Canucks' search for a backup goaltender due to concerns about Thatcher Demko's health. Earlier this week, reports emerged that Demko is still not fully recovered from back-to-back knee injuries sustained late in the regular season and during the first game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

As a precaution, the Canucks are exploring options in the free-agent goalie market to avoid starting the season with Arturs Silovs and Jiri Patera as their main tandem if Demko isn't ready.

On Thursday, Rick Dhaliwal from Donnie & Dhali reported that the Canucks have identified 29-year-old Kevin Lankinen as their primary target. However, signing Lankinen may prove difficult due to the team's tight salary cap and his strong performance over the past two seasons with the Nashville Predators, where he earned $2 million last season.

Lankinen, originally from Helsinki, Finland, began his North American career in 2018 with the Chicago Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent. He played four seasons with the Blackhawks before joining the Predators in 2022. Last season, Lankinen appeared in 22 games for Nashville, posting an 11-6-0 record, a 2.82 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage, and one shutout.

With NHL training camps starting in less than a month, Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin faces a tough decision regarding the team's goaltending situation. If Demko isn't fully healthy, it would make sense for the Canucks to sign a backup, even if it's just on a Professional Tryout (PTO) to start.