Kevin Lankinen’s rough start in net is not exactly a surprise at this point.
Natural Stat Trick has him at the bottom of the NHL in goals-saved above average, and the gap is described as not even close. For a team that is not really trying to win all that much right now, that kind of goaltending can be lived with at the organizational level.
For the players on the ice every night, though, it still cuts deep. They still show up believing they can tilt a game, even when the standings and the results say otherwise.
That’s where the larger picture starts to matter. A decade ago, the Leafs found themselves in a similar kind of mess, only without the goalie problem attached to it. As former Leafs data analyst Rob Pettapiece pointed out, Toronto had solid goaltending from James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier while the team was sliding toward the bottom of the standings.
“We just couldn’t score the year we drafted (Auston) Matthews,” he said. “We knew we weren’t going to be contenders, and in addition to trading Phil Kessel we had several scorers underperform for various reasons - Joffrey Lupul, Nazem Kadri, Brad Boyes, Michael Grabner.
“But we were only 24th, not last place, in goals against, largely because we had two legitimate NHL goalies in their prime ages on the roster. So we didn’t have those demoralizing blowout wins. And when we made a trade for a starter in Freddy Andersen, it wasn’t as big of a climb back to where a playoff team needs to be.”
That Leafs team, odd as it sounds, actually allowed 55 fewer goals than last year’s version of the club.
Reimer and Bernier were never the long-term answer in Toronto, just as Lankinen is not being framed as a goalie of the future here. Andersen was the one expected to be that guy for the Leafs.
And there’s another wrinkle worth remembering: Lankinen is already a half-decade older than Reimer and Bernier were then, and both of those goalies went on to make more than 200 NHL starts after leaving Toronto. The question hanging over Lankinen is straightforward enough: how many more starts are left in his career?
That is part of why the Canucks’ decision to bring in Leevi Meriläinen before the season makes sense. Young goalies are impossible to pin down, but if you believe in a rebuild, you keep stockpiling talent wherever you can find it.
Meriläinen has already flashed the upside that once made him look like the Senators’ goalie of the future as recently as two seasons ago. And if Pettapiece’s point holds, he could fit neatly into the bigger picture when the Canucks are no longer in the early stages of this reset and are trying to climb back toward the playoffs and beyond.
In Other News...
Canucks Let A Winnable Game Slip Away In One Brutal Period
For two periods, the Canucks looked in control against the Sharks, riding a tidy defensive effort and a couple of timely finishes into a 2-0 lead. Elias Pettersson opened the scoring after Jamie Oleksiak made a strong play in the defensive end, and Liam hgren added another in the second period while Leevi Merilinen kept things quiet with several important saves.
Merilinens best work came while Vancouver was killing penalties, where he turned aside multiple looks that could have shifted the game earlier. The night still carried a jolt, though, when Brock Boeser left after taking a shot off his foot, forcing Arshdeep Bains onto the first line and adding another layer of uncertainty to a game the Canucks already let get away in a rough third period. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Suddenly Have A New Lineup Question Up Front
The Canucks made a quick adjustment up front Monday, recalling Jacob Quillan from AHL Abbotsford as they sorted through another injury-related shuffle. Quillan arrived in the organization a few weeks ago in the Aatu Rty deal from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and he has opened his Abbotsford stint well enough to put himself on the radar for a call-up.
Filip Chytil was also moved to injured reserve with an upper-body injury, adding another layer of uncertainty to Vancouvers forward group. Chytil has been dealing with injuries, and while he is eligible to return next Thursday, the Canucks now have to navigate the meantime with a fresh look at their depth options. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks May Like This Young Winger More Than His Trade Cost
Ivan Miroshnichenko is the kind of young winger who can intrigue a team looking for upside, and the Canucks have reportedly been among the clubs with interest. The 20-year-old has not yet carved out a full-time NHL role with Washington, but his blend of youth and pedigree makes him a player worth tracking for a Vancouver team always weighing present need against future value.
The challenge, of course, is the price tag. Washington is believed to be asking for at least a first-round pick, which turns a potential buy-low swing into a much bigger decision for Vancouvers front office. If the Canucks are serious, they will have to decide whether Miroshnichenkos long-term promise is worth paying for before he has fully established himself at the NHL level. [Read more 🡒]