The Vancouver Canucks are facing some real questions in the crease-and they’re not easy ones to answer.
Thatcher Demko, when healthy, is a legitimate No. 1 goaltender. But that’s been the issue: staying healthy. The Canucks have had to navigate around his absences more often than they’d like, and the options behind him haven’t exactly provided much clarity.
Kevin Lankinen looked sharp early in the 2024-25 campaign, but that early-season spark has faded. And with Artūrs Šilovs now out of the picture-traded in the offseason for what amounted to a minimal return-the Canucks’ goaltending depth is looking thinner than expected.
That’s likely why the team is reportedly eyeing KHL standout Maxim Motorygin. According to a recent report out of Russia, Vancouver has shown interest in the 23-year-old netminder, who’s been turning heads with Dynamo Moscow.
Motorygin isn’t a household name in North America-yet. But his body of work overseas is starting to demand attention.
Last season, he put up a .928 save percentage in the KHL, good for fifth overall in the league. In the playoffs, he followed that up with a solid .914 mark.
While his numbers have dipped slightly this year, he’s still posting a .918 save percentage-again ranking fifth, this time among all KHL goaltenders under 25.
And it’s not just about the numbers. Motorygin made headlines earlier this season by setting a Dynamo Moscow club record with a shutout streak of 227 minutes, stringing together three consecutive shutouts. That kind of consistency under pressure is exactly what NHL teams look for in a young netminder.
Technically sound and known for his quickness, Motorygin’s biggest knock might be his size. At 6-foot-1, he’s considered undersized by today’s NHL standards, where many teams favor goalies closer to 6-foot-4 or taller. But what he lacks in size, he seems to make up for in fundamentals and poise.
The Canucks have dipped into the European goalie market before with some success. In 2023, GM Patrik Allvin signed Belarusian netminder Nikita Tolopilo after a strong season in Sweden’s Allsvenskan.
That move has paid off to some degree-Tolopilo has earned call-ups and is 3-3 in six career NHL starts. He’s slated to make his seventh appearance Saturday night against the Oilers.
Beyond that, the Canucks’ goaltending pipeline is a mixed bag. Top prospect Alexei Medvedev, just 18, is still a few years away from being NHL-ready.
Meanwhile, Aku Koskenvuo and Ty Young have struggled in limited action with AHL Abbotsford this season. And while Jiri Patera has been Abbotsford’s most-used netminder, he’s a pending free agent and hasn’t exactly locked down the role as the next man up.
All of this underscores one key reality for Vancouver: depth at the goaltending position isn’t a luxury-it’s a necessity. Especially with Demko’s health still a concern, the Canucks can’t afford to be caught short.
Motorygin is under contract with Dynamo until May 31, 2026, so any potential move would likely have to wait until then. But if the Canucks are already doing their homework, it’s a sign they’re serious about reinforcing their goaltending depth-and perhaps investing in a long-term option who could grow into a bigger role down the line.
In today’s NHL, you can never have too many goalies. And for a team like Vancouver, trying to navigate both the present and the future, exploring every option-especially one with Motorygin’s upside-makes all the sense in the world.