The Vancouver Canucks have gotten themselves a very good goalie in Kevin Lankinen. As NHLRumors.com has documented, Lankinen has been an important worth signing for the Canucks with Thatcher Demko out attributable to harm and Arturs Silvos not enjoying as much as his playoff efficiency of a 12 months in the past.
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So it begs the query, why is Lankinen not a starter within the NHL, and will he flip his efficiency with the Canucks, particularly whether it is stored up, right into a starter’s function with one other NHL staff this low season.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was on Sirius XM NHL Community Radio with Gord Stellick and Scott Laughlin and acknowledged that Kevin Lankinen was in search of a starter’s function this previous low season however needed to take a step again and may very well be the subsequent Anthony Stolarz.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
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Gord Stellick: “My query is, very often, we take a look at the large, massive issues that occur, and we don’t ignore the little issues. And very often, the little issues are massive issues. And right here, right here’s the tie in with Lankinen He did an actual stable job final 12 months because the backup goaltender in Nashville now, who’s making $2 million. So on July 2nd, all of it obtained dwarfed, with (Steven) Stamkos and everybody else coming that they signed. Scott Wedgewood for $1.5 million per season.
After which September twenty first Lankinen will get $875,000 to go to Vancouver. Now was Lankinen attempting to get massive. Like why would they not signal him for 1.5 or did Lankinen really feel he have leverage and actually blow issues? And mainly was determined to go wherever.
As a result of I’m considering, why would he, he was a stable backup in Nashville, and why did they go in some course? I do know backup goaltenders aren’t the distinction makers, however very often, these little issues as Wedgewood hasn’t performed nice. (Juuse) Saros has. Wedgwood stats up to now aren’t good within the backup function.”
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Elliotte Friedman: “Effectively, I feel there’s a few issues there. It’s an important query. Gordie, I feel there’s a few issues there. Primary, I feel Lankinen was in search of a larger alternative. As soon as Saros signed that massive extension. I feel he noticed the writing on the wall that it was Saros’s job. So I can’t fault Lankinen for that. I do know that one of many issues that Lankinen actually regarded for was, have been there going to be locations the place there was a route to begin?
And I heard one of many groups that form of checked out him was Anaheim. We knew Anaheim was attempting to maneuver (John) Gibson, and I feel they have been hoping that they have been going to have the ability to transfer Gibson. And I feel that Lankinen form of waited to see if one thing would occur there. As a result of if Gibson had been dealt he may have gone and fashioned a duo with (Lukas) Dostal and Dostal is a hell of a goalie. He’s going to be a very good goalie for a very long time, however Lankinen would have performed extra.
And on the finish, I feel Lankinen simply waited and waited and waited to see if one thing opened up for him. And one of the best alternative was Vancouver, and what it may find yourself being, Gordie is simply stepping again to take somewhat step ahead now with the job he’s carried out right here and Silvos is waiver-eligible. So until Vancouver desires to hold three, that’s going to be an issue for him.
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To me, it form of jogs my memory somewhat little bit of Stolarz. Now, after final 12 months, the 12 months that Stolarz had in Florida, he parlayed it into a greater scenario for himself by way of beginning, and possibly that’s possibly we see on the finish of this season, Lankinen takes the chance and runs with it some other place.”
To date, his document with Vancouver is 10-3-2, with a 2.56 GAA and a .909 save proportion. If Kevin Lankinen retains this up, he may get an analogous contract to Stolarz this offseason.
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