On Tuesday, Thatcher Demko’s status was the talk of the town among Canucks fans.
This, of course, was a result of Rick Dhaliwal joining Sportsnet 650’s Halford and Brough and reporting that the Vancouver Canucks’ starting netminder is progressing, but still doesn’t have a timetable of when he’ll be 100% healthy. Demko went down with an injury in round one of the playoffs, and may not be ready for the start of training camp. He also may not be ready for the start of the regular season, and at this point, you would simply be foolish to rule out the idea that whatever ailment he’s dealing with keeps him out for a good chunk of the season.
The point is, we simply do not know how long Demko will be out for.
Dhaliwal also reported yesterday that the Canucks are poking around the goalie market.
But who could they be poking around on? It could certainly be through a trade, but if it’s the free agent market, there are three names that stand out. This isn’t your normal list article, however. Instead, these three goaltenders are all in different positions and stages of their careers and would presumably be looking for different things when signing with a team.
So without further ado, here are three free agent goaltenders the Canucks could sign in accordance with three different outcomes to Demko’s injury status.
Antti Raanta: Demko isn’t ready for camp, but will be ready for the regular season
If Demko isn’t ready for camp but is ready for the regular season, an older goaltender like 35-year-old Antti Raanta might feel like signing on to compete with Arturs Silovs in camp for the shot at being the backup once Demko is healthy. Raanta played some AHL games this past season, meaning he could be a fine third-string goaltender on the organizational depth chart while also putting some pressure on Silovs to perform well as the backup.
They could also, of course, sign Raanta to a PTO to ensure he’s still capable of playing. You just never know with 35-year-old goaltenders until you see them do it.
Martin Jones: A similar situation, but different
Hailing from North Vancouver, Martin Jones obviously has the local angle attached to him when it comes to potentially signing a contract with the Canucks.
Jones has been a steady goaltender for the majority of his career, and put up a .902 save percentage through 22 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs this past season. At 34, he’s slightly younger than Raanta, but there have been rumblings that Jones may retire at some point this offseason. Could the Canucks offer him something that makes him consider signing with his hometown team for one last go at it? Potentially. For Jones to want to sign in Vancouver, though, it might need to come with something of a guarantee he can play NHL games, and the only way that’s happening is if Demko ends up being on the shelf for longer than expected.
Kevin Lankinen: The cream of the crop, but why would he sign in Vancouver?
Without a doubt, Kevin Lankinen is the best free agent goalie still on the market. Lankinen has been one of the best backup goaltenders in the league the past two seasons and is still without a contract after his one-year deal at $2 million with the Nashville Predators expired.
This indicates that Lankinen didn’t quite get what he was looking for on the free agent market, and that he now could be holding out to see if a better situation pops up.
If Demko is healthy in October or November, Vancouver likely isn’t the type of situation Lankinen is looking for. After all, with Silovs knocking on the door and Demko being a bonafide number one, there is a solid chance that he could play AHL games if he joined the Canucks, and that’s something he hasn’t done since 2019-20. At 29, he would be a solid addition to really shore up the depth chart and bring in a goalie who is more of a 1B than a prototypical backup.
Unfortunately, Lankinen may only sign in Vancouver if Demko is unable to play for a good chunk of the season. If Lankinen isn’t getting the interest he wants on the free agent market after two back-to-back good seasons, he would be taking on a great deal of risk by signing with the Canucks and not being given opportunities to flourish.
For Lankinen, he will be picking the right destination for him as a player, and to some extent, Canucks fans are likely hoping that doesn’t end up being in Vancouver as we await updates on Thatcher Demko’s health.
