Canucks goalkeeper depth map: 2025 offseason – Hockey writer – Karnak goalkeeper
The Vancouver Canucks goalkeeper depth has become a little thin as Silovs traded to Pittsburgh Penguins, but they both went bankrupt as Alexei Medvedev added to the 2025 NHL Draft. Overall, even without Schillov’s service – he might be exempted if he doesn’t trade, but they still have a strong group of goalkeepers who can draw inspiration from the game entering the 2025-26 season. Having said that, let’s dig into the complete pipeline.
Canucks goalkeeper
Thatcher Demko – First
Thatcher Demko will be the starter for the Canucks as he signed a three-year extension in early July. His agent Jordan Neumann said Demko has fully recovered from the injuries suffered last season and has not recovered anything in the offseason for a long time.
“He’s 100%. I visited there two weeks ago with him and he’s already started skating, which is part of his off-season plan, and he’s never really done this early. He feels good. He has no restrictions.
It was his first summer in a long time when he hadn’t had any recovery. It made him extremely optimistic and excited to move forward, which is another reason why he was really comfortable doing a shorter term. ”
This is good news for the Ganaks, as the 29-year-old is the Vezina-Caliber goalkeeper who can steal the game. His health is obviously still an issue given the time he has missed the past two seasons, but thanks to the team signing Kevin Lankinen and also supporting him for the next four seasons, the coaching staff should be able to separate the workload and keep him on the ice instead of the medical room.
Kevin Lankinen – Backup
Speaking of Rankinenin, if it weren’t for him, the Karnaks might be closer to the bottom of the NHL than a few wins at the playoff cutoff line. He is sometimes great in the crease, especially at the beginning of the season, which Demko couldn’t get, recovering from a rare popliteus muscle injury. His best stretch was in November and early December, when he won 10 consecutive victories on the road, not only setting a franchise record, but also setting an NHL record. As the season progressed, he began to struggle with the weight of being a goalkeeper, which is understandable considering that he never started 37 games in his career (by the end of the season, he had already started a career-high 49 games and appeared in 51 games).
Still, Rankinen ended her career with a steady record of 25-15-10 – a low 2.62 goal average (GAA), .902 percent savings (SV%) and four closings. He also represented Finland in the faceoffs in 4 countries but only played two games and ended with 4.83 GAA and .811 SV%. Assuming Demko stays healthy, his workload should drop to the 25-30 range, although if the Canucks adopt a 1A/1B row system (they should), it can reach up to 40.
Nikita Tolopilo – AHL first release
Nikita Tolopilo is now the Silovs of the Penguins, becoming the de facto starter for Abbotsford. Last season, he assigned responsibilities with Silovs and played a career-high 36 games, as well as 2.66 GAA, .902 SV% and four closed doors. He scored a 20-14-2 record in the American Hockey League (AHL) game and made his debut against the San Jose Sharks on April 14, and recorded his first victory. He also showed loose appearances in his next game against the Vegas Golden Cavaliers, but unfortunately lost to his name after 10 goals allowed two goals.
Related: Canucks 2025-26 Player Preview: Kiefer Sherwood
The 6-foot-6 Belarusian will get re-rope for the first time in his career, and it is the first call option if Demko or Lankinen drops due to injury this season. He re-signed a two-year contract in early July.
Jiri Patera – Depth
Jiri Patera is the last year of his two-year contract with Canucks last summer and will fight Ty Young for Tolopilo’s backup position. He only appeared in seven games last season after a knee injury against Ontario-ruling on November 6, and he never returned to the roster even though he was healthy in April. He started off well before the injury, posting 2.79 GAA and .899 SV%, and considering his experience in the AHL, he might be helpful in Young entering the camp.
Ty Young – Depth
After part of three seasons with the Western Hockey League (WHL) with Prince George Cougars (WHL), Young transitioned to the professional league last season and allocated his time between Kalamazoo and Abbotsford. He made his debut against the San Diego Seagulls on February 19 and ended up staying on the Lower Land until March 29. His highlight in the AHL period was on March 12, when he won 41 saves by defeating Bakersfield’s Condor 2-1. He will have a hard time getting a spot in the AHL this season, and Patera’s experience blocks his own, but given his outstanding performance in that extension in February and March, he might be surprised and push Patera to the depth chart.
Aku Koskenvu – Depth
Aku Koskenvu will turn around this season with Kalamazoo Wings or Abbotsford Canucks. He signed his entry-level contract in March after three seasons with Harvard, likely to be in the ECHL at the same time as Young. The Finnish native was ranked 137th by the Canucks in 2021 and had a good college career, ending three times with a score of 2.91 GAA and .905 SV%. He was also appointed to the NCAA All-Ivy Academic Team and the NCAA All-Ivy League Honors Team in the junior year of 2024-25.
Goalkeepers play football elsewhere
At the time of writing, the Canucks had only one goalkeeper playing outside the professional league, and this is the 2025 draft pick Alexei Medvedev.
Alexei Medvedev – London Cavaliers – Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Medvedev was drafted in the second round of the 2025 draft (47th inning) and is now the Canucks’ top goalkeeper. Although Tolopilo and Koskenvuo may be higher on the depth chart, Medvedev has a higher ceiling and may end up being the heir to Demko, as the future goalkeeper of the Canucks is the forward goalkeeper of the Canucks. Over the next five years, with Demko or Lankinen’s crease, he has enough time to develop and can be prepared to get re-ropes in 2029-30. Rankinenin will still sign a contract, so it is conceivable that he can be his senior backup, that is, if Medvedev is then considered ready for the NHL.
As for this season, Medvedev will return to the London Cavaliers in the intense 2024-25 campaign, which put him in a 22-8-2 tie with 2.79 GAA, .912 SV% and three times. He will be the starter for Austin Elliott graduate Cavaliers, so it will be interesting to see his full responsibility for the crease. Anyway, he will be one of the top goalkeepers to watch this season as he is the first goalkeeper to be selected for the second round since Demko, who was selected as No. 36 in 2014.
The Canucks’ goalkeeper has a strong
Even without Silovs, the Canucks’ goalkeeper pipeline still matches the league’s best competitors. From Demko and Lankinen’s composition elite tandem to the top to Medvedev’s second-round lineage, the crease is not an area they have to worry about for a long time.
