Two weeks into the 2026-27 season, the Canucks are already staring at a goaltending problem - and Leevi Meriläinen has quickly become the obvious alternative.
Kevin Lankinen’s start has been rough by every measure. In four games, he has surrendered 22 goals and is sitting on a .796 save percentage.
Natural Stat Trick’s Goals Saved Above Expected metric has him last in the NHL in all situations at -10.6. His most recent outing against the Carolina Hurricanes turned ugly in a hurry, with Carolina jumping to a 3-0 lead before the first 10 minutes were gone.
The Hurricanes then went after his glove side for three more goals in the second period, and Lankinen was pulled for Meriläinen in the third of an eventual 7-2 Canucks loss.
That said, the full picture is a little messier than the numbers alone suggest. Lankinen’s first four starts came against some serious firepower: two games versus the Edmonton Oilers, plus the Western champion Vegas Golden Knights and the Stanley Cup-winning Hurricanes. He hasn’t exactly been handed a soft landing.
Still, Vancouver needs better than this. Thatcher Demko is expected to remain out until December because of injury, which leaves Lankinen as the main man in net for now. So far, he hasn’t been able to keep the Canucks in games.
Meriläinen, meanwhile, has given the team a real reason to think about changing course. Claimed on waivers from the Ottawa Senators, he has already made one start - a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames - and has also appeared in relief twice for Lankinen.
Across those appearances, he has posted a .941 save percentage and allowed only three goals. His 2.60 GSAA ranks 11th in the league and puts him alongside names like Jacob Markstrom, Logan Thompson and Joel Hofer.
Even in relief on Thursday, he helped himself with a strong stop on Eric Robinson.
The Canucks’ schedule is about to force the issue a little anyway. This weekend’s back-to-back against the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers will require both goalies to start.
After that comes a stretch that could give Meriläinen a real audition: three games in five days on the road against the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. That trip offers Vancouver a chance to see what he can do with consecutive starts against tough opposition.
There’s not much downside to trying it. Meriläinen is new to the system, but the Canucks can use the next few starts to see whether he can steady things. Even a handful of solid performances could help settle a defense that has already allowed a league-leading 25 goals.
At this point, Vancouver doesn’t need Meriläinen to become a miracle worker. It just needs steadier goaltending and a chance to stay in the fight. Given how things have gone, the clearest path for head coach Manny Malhotra may be to hand him the crease and let him take it from here.
In Other News...
Senators Wins Will Mean Even More To Ottawa Fans This Season
Ottawa fans already had a reason to track every Senators win this season, and now there is one more layer to the celebration. Captain Thomas Chabot and alternate captain Tim Stutzle have tied a charitable pledge to the teams results, with each player committing to donate for every victory to benefit the CHEO Foundation, a push supported by the Senators Community Foundation and amplified through a dedicated website for fans who want to contribute.
The effort carries a deeply personal meaning, honoring Griffin Bell, a young Senators fan who died of cancer. The campaign had already gotten off to a meaningful start by the time it was announced, with the players having logged donations based on three wins, and it adds a human stake to a season in which Ottawas success now reaches beyond the standings and into the community around the team. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Fans Will Notice A New Game Day Push At Both Arenas
Canucks Sports & Entertainment has lined up a fresh arena upgrade through a new partnership aimed at making game nights a little easier on the fans in Vancouver and Abbotsford. The agreement centers on a broader beverage selection at Rogers Arena and Rogers Forum, with familiar names like Canada Dry, Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta now part of the in-building mix, all supported by local production and distribution in British Columbia.
The move is about more than just whats pouring at the concession stand. Both sides say they want the arrangement to show up in the arena experience itself, with activations and integrated branding designed to keep the partnership visible from the moment fans walk in until the final buzzer. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Fans Have One Big Thing To Watch Behind Pettersson's Hot Start
Elias Petterssons strong opening has given the Canucks a clear early storyline, with the center piling up two goals and six assists in five games while driving a five-game point streak that has matched the best start he has ever had to a season. Vancouver now heads into a meeting with the New Jersey Devils, a team that has already shown some early-season turbulence with one win and two losses, and the projected lineups suggest both clubs are still sorting out their best combinations as injuries and recent performances shape who gets the call.
For Vancouver, the real watch item is no longer just Petterssons production at the top of the lineup, but what the coaching staff decides to do behind him. The Canucks have options to consider in goal after Kevin Lankinen was tagged for six goals on 18 shots, and how they handle that spot could matter just as much as whether Pettersson keeps rolling against New Jersey. [Read more 🡒]