Canucks Goaltender Kevin Lankinen Breaks Silence on Having to Split Duties With Thatcher Demko
In his first public comments since signing with the Vancouver Canucks, veteran goaltender Kevin Lankinen has addressed the elephant in the room: how he feels about sharing the crease with Thatcher Demko, the team’s longtime starting netminder.
After inking a one-year, $1.9 million deal with Vancouver during the offseason, Lankinen enters the 2025–26 campaign with a clear role — to form a dependable tandem with Demko, who is returning from multiple injury setbacks that limited his play last season.
In a media availability on Saturday, Lankinen acknowledged that the shared responsibility is a shift from his previous roles in Nashville and Chicago but says he’s approaching it with confidence and team-first mentality.
“Look, everyone wants to play, that’s natural,” Lankinen said. “But in today’s NHL, goaltending is a two-man job. I’m here to win hockey games, whether that means I play 25 or 45. If I’m ready when my number is called, that’s what matters.”
Lankinen’s comments come after weeks of speculation surrounding how head coach Rick Tocchet would handle the goalie workload. Demko, who missed over 30 games last season due to groin and hip injuries, has reportedly made a full recovery but will be on a monitored schedule to prevent re-injury.
The Canucks’ management has been transparent in their belief that a platoon approach is necessary to keep both goaltenders fresh deep into the season. General Manager Patrik Allvin praised Lankinen’s maturity and said his playoff experience from the 2023–24 Predators run was a major factor in bringing him to Vancouver.
“We needed someone who can step in without disrupting the room, who knows how to win and won’t shy away from big moments,” Allvin said. “Kevin checks all those boxes.”
Despite being new to the team, Lankinen is no stranger to earning respect in tight goalie battles. After a breakout rookie season with the Blackhawks in 2020–21, he faced stiff competition in Nashville, where he backed up Juuse Saros and earned a reputation as one of the league’s more reliable second-string netminders.
For Canucks fans, the pairing brings both hope and curiosity. While Demko remains a fan favorite and former Vezina finalist, Lankinen’s calm demeanor and work ethic have already made a strong impression during early summer skates.
Lankinen also took time to praise Demko directly:
“He’s a great goalie, one of the best. We both want to win, and we both push each other. There’s no ego, just competition and respect.”
With training camp just weeks away, all eyes will be on how the Canucks balance the tandem and whether the strategy helps propel them back into playoff contention. After narrowly missing the postseason last year, Vancouver is banking on goaltending depth being a key difference-maker.
For now, Lankinen is focused on the basics: stopping pucks, earning trust, and helping the team win — however many starts that takes.
