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How Concerned Should The Canucks Be About Kevin Lankinen's Start?
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- How Concerned Should The Canucks Be About Kevin Lankinen's Start?
Kevin Lankinen's start to the 2026-27 season has given the Vancouver Canucks some reasons for concern. Losing games was always going to be part of the rebuild. Too often, Vancouver is buried early and spends the night chasing.
The early scoring outbursts were fun, but Vancouver doesn't have the offensive firepower to trade goals with opponents every night. They need tighter defence, cleaner exits and harder forechecking. That's where Lankinen needs to help. There are going to be defensive breakdowns with this group, but a few timely saves can keep the Canucks from spending the rest of the night chasing the game.
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The numbers haven't been pretty. Six appearances, 29 goals against. A 6.88 goals-against average and .786 save percentage tell the story. Dan Brousseau of Ocelot Analytics measured him at minus-10.7 goals saved above expected. That was the lowest mark through six appearances in Brousseau's sample of 479 goalie seasons since 2020-21.
The Road-Warrior Record Feels Distant
It wasn't always like this for Lankinen. Back in 2024-25, he broke a road record when he went 10-0 in his first 10 road games. He ended up playing 51 games that season and finished with a .902 save percentage. That figure dropped to .875 last year. This October, he allowed eight against the Edmonton Oilers and six each against the Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Rangers .
The Edmonton game showed why the discussion can't end with his save percentage. Lankinen was pulled after eight goals on 20 shots, yet Manny Malhotra pointed to the breakaways and dangerous chances the Canucks had surrendered. The defence was poor. Lankinen still needed to stop more.
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The Defence Has Its Own Problems
There are three defencemen under 23 in the picture: Zeev Buium, Tom Willander and Elias Pettersson. Pettersson has had encouraging moments, but the group is still learning. The veterans haven't provided much relief. Luke Schenn was a healthy scratch against Carolina, Jamie Oleksiak sat against the Rangers, and Filip Hronek has been below his usual standard.
The recent four-game losing streak was ugly: 20 goals against and only seven for Vancouver. Scoring chances favoured the opposition 109-63, including a 45-27 margin on high-danger looks. The penalty kill hasn't offered much help, either, sitting last in the NHL at roughly 52 percent after conceding 12 goals. A goalie is supposed to be his team's best penalty killer, but there are four skaters who have to win battles and take away passing lanes first. Neither part has worked well enough.
Paul Cotter and Max Sasson have shown how a hard forecheck can turn a loose puck into offence. Vancouver needs more of that pace across its lineup. Without it, the Canucks get stuck defending, and the deficits pile up. They were down 3-0 inside 10 minutes against Carolina. There aren't many ways for this roster to recover from that kind of start.
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A Bigger Job Than Planned
The Canucks committed five years and $22.5 million to Lankinen with Thatcher Demko still expected to be their No. 1. With Demko injured, Lankinen is once again carrying a bigger load. But 51 appearances didn't stop him from playing well in 2024-25, so the workload only explains so much.
Meriläinen's Strong Start
Leevi Meriläinen has given Vancouver another reference point. His first four appearances produced a .929 save percentage. He's stopped 68 of 69 shots at 5-on-5, good for .986 in that situation. Against Calgary, he turned aside 23 of 24 shots in a 4-1 win.
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Malhotra has liked how composed Meriläinen looks, especially when the Canucks need a stop. Four appearances aren't enough to declare him the better option, and the two goalies haven't faced identical workloads or opponents. Still, when another goaltender can keep Vancouver competitive behind much of the same defence, it's difficult to blame all of Lankinen's struggles on the players in front of him.
The Verdict
The Canucks can accept losses during a rebuild, but not this many goals against. Repeated blowouts can hurt a young team's confidence. Lankinen can't fix the breakouts or penalty kill alone, but he needs to start making more of the saves that kept Vancouver competitive when Demko was out two seasons ago. This can't continue much longer. If things don't improve, Meriläinen could soon get the green light for a string of starts.
Oct 4, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) makes a save against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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