How Re-Signing Kevin Lankinen To A Long-Term Contract Would Impact The Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have a big decision to make in goal when it comes to Kevin Lankinen. The 29-year-old has had a phenomenal start to his Canucks career and, as of January 1, is eligible to sign an extension with the club. While Lankinen's new contract will come with a substantial raise, as of right now, re-signing Lankinen could be the best option for the organization moving forward.

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According to Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie and Dhali, there have been initial talks between Vancouver and Lankinen about an extension. This doesn't guarantee that a contract is close, but it does signify that there is interest from the Canucks organization in re-signing Lankinen. With a 15-7-4 record through his first 26 games, Vancouver will not be the only team interested in Lankinen this offseason, which is why re-signing him sooner rather than later may be the best option.

Before discussing the pros and cons, we need to discuss what a Lankinen extension would look like. While his situation is unique, there is a comparable in Seattle Kraken's Joey Daccord, who signed a five-year, $25 million contract at the beginning of the season. This is also the same contract Thatcher Demko signed back in 2021. Based on Lankinen's performance history and age, his next contract will most likely be in the five-by-five range.

There are a few reasons why the Canucks should keep Lankinen. The first one is obvious, as he has been one of their MVPs this season. The Finnish goaltender's three shutouts are tied for third in the NHL, while his strong play earned him a spot on Team Finland at the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. Lankinen has also blended very well into the locker room and continually receives praise from Rick Tocchet during media scrums.

Re-signing Lankinen also gives Vancouver some insurance when it comes to Demko. While Demko has looked decent in his seven games this season, he has an extensive injury history and needs to be re-signed at the end of 2025-26. Having an experienced backup could help ease some of Demko's workload moving forward while acting as a safety mechanism in case another significant injury occurs.

As for some complexities, re-signing Lankinen would have a significant impact on the cap. With Lankinen, Demko and Artūrs Šilovs all on the roster, the Canucks are spending just under 8% of their cap on goaltending. If Lankinen re-signs for the proposed $5 million, Vancouver would be spending over 10% of their salary cap on Demko and Lankinen. While the cap is going up and some teams are spending more than 10% of their cap on goaltending, like the Boston Bruins, it could prevent the Canucks management group from improving other areas of the lineup.

Re-signing Lankinen to a long-term deal could also impact Šilovs' future. While it has been a tough season for Šilovs, the 23-year-old is at the point of his career where he needs to make the jump to the NHL. If Vancouver elects to go with a Demko/Lankinen tandem for the foreseeable future, it will block both him and Nikita Tolopilo from making the jump full-time to the NHL.

At the end of the day, signing Lankinen will not be an easy task. There are a lot of variables to consider, plus there is a chance another team will give him a contract the Canucks can't match once free agency opens. In the end, while there are risks, re-signing Lankinen to a long-term contract is arguably the best move for the organization moving forward.

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