Canucks Coffee: What's brewing with future of Thatcher Demko ...

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Lankinen should get the net on a regular basis to ensure Demko's freshness and guard against injury. It makes sense, but that's a hard sell to any starter.

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Published Dec 19, 2024  •  Last updated 3 hours ago  •  5 minute read

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Every goaltender wants the net. And he wants it all the time.

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It’s the first thought for the last line of defence because any stopper worth his resume craves being the go-to guy, embracing expectation in a hockey-mad market to be a difference-maker and reward management’s faith.

A customary pecking order dictates the designated starter will log a majority of games, while the backup is relegated to coming out of the bullpen to provide a break, or a longer look if injury or indifferent play besets the starter.

And that nod for net is usually determined by career stature and the bottom line.

You’re not paying the starter to sit on the bench and play cheerleader. That’s how the Vancouver Canucks and most NHL teams have functioned. We’ll get to Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen and how the crease conundrum here could or should play out, but first some background from Beantown.

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The Boston Bruins tossed a curveball at the starter-back-up theory. Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark basically alternated starts again last season — even though each was capable of a heavier workload — and the performance return was as good as the let’s-hug-it-out camaraderie in post-game shows of support.

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Their numbers were similar. Swayman had 43 starts and fashioned a 2.53 goal-against average and .916 saves percentage. Ullmark had 39 starts with a 2.57 GAA and .915 percentage. Of course, the union ended because of money and money matters most.

Swayman, 26, went from an expiring US$3.475 million salary cap hit to $8.25 million with an eight-year, $66 million extension. Ullmark, 31, had this season left at a $5 million cap, but was traded to the Ottawa Senators in a package that brought Joonas Korpisalo, 30, to Boston with an existing contract that has a $4 million hit for three more seasons.

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The Senators then signed Ullmark to a four-year, $33 million extension and $8.25 million annual cap hit.

What does all this mean for the Canucks?

In the interim, and with a window to win now, they need to protect their prime asset in Demko. He has one more year left on a contract extension at $5 million. And while obviously eager to prove himself worthy of sizable salary and term by shouldering the load, there’s an argument to be made for caution.

Why not share the net on a more regular basis with Lankinen to ensure freshness instead of fatigue and also guard against injury? It might make sense, but that’s a hard sell to any starter.

“I don’t know. It’s what the Bruins did. I take it day-by-day,” said Demko, 29, who responded with a solid 29-save performance Monday in a 3-1 win over the high-octane Colorado Avalanche in his third start since returning from an April 21 popliteous knee-muscle injury.

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“When you’re out for that amount of time, your mind wanders for sure, but it comes back to control what you can control. It’s human nature to start gripping too tight or worried about what the future might hold.”

Demko took another step Wednesday toward where he wants and needs to be, even though the Canucks fell in a 3-2 overtime loss at Salt Lake City.

He kept the Canucks in a game where they could have dug a big first-period hole. It took the 21st shot to finally beat him in the third period when Clayton Keller pounced on a rare rebound. And the tying goal was a Dylan Guenther shot that deflected off Teddy Blueger, changed direction, and found the far glove side.

The Canucks had several chances to seal the deal in overtime before Mikhail Sergachev put a backhander through Demko on a 2-on-1 rush with just 11.4 second left in the extra session.

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However, it was all the Grade A stops that Demko made in a 28-save effort that should be remembered the most.

One thing we know for sure when figuring out how goaltending will play out now and in the future is that you can never have enough stoppers.

The acquisition of free-agent Lankinen, 29, in September at a bargain one-year, $875,000 was beyond prudent. The plan was to work in tandem with Arturs Silovs while Demko healed and it turned into bonanza.

Lankinen won his first 10 road games to set an NHL record and prove he’s much more than just a traditional backup. The timing couldn’t have been better.

Silovs, 23, struggled at the outset of this season — a classic case of a sophomore slump after a miraculous run last season — and is getting his game in order at Abbotsford. That’s where Nikita Tolopilo, 24, is putting up solid numbers and has three shutouts.

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Add Jiri Patera, 25, as a veteran presence in the AHL and Ty Young, 20, growing his game in the ECHL, and it’s enviable depth. And with only Lankinen and Tolopilo on expiring deals, the focus is going to keep shifting to the Demko-Lankinen union.

It’s working now, but somebody is going to pay Lankinen. But how much? He has never played more than 37 games in an NHL season, which is more than the average backup, but it’s not starter’s number. And that determines a bigger contract.

Then again, Lankinen could top out at 46 starts if he splits the cage the rest of the way.

It wouldn’t certainly give the Canucks an idea of his future worth, but he’s making a case with a league-leading three shutouts to go with a saves percentage (.912) and GAA (2.52) that rank in the top 15.

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The Bruins have Swayman and Korpisalo at a combined annual cap hit of $11.25 million. If Demko gets a big bump to join Swayman and Ullmark as an $8 million man, can the Canucks sell Lankinen on a scenario to stay at $3.5 million as more than an occasional back up?

That Canucks could also trade a goalie to make room for Lankinen, but do you really want to give up on Silovs? It should make for added intrigue if the Canucks pivot back to Demko and Silovs for economic reasons.

After all, it is a bottom-line business. Stay tuned.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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