Once upon a time, the Chicago Blackhawks employed goaltender Kevin Lankinen. During those years, Chicago was trying to avoid a rebuild, so the patience to let him develop wasn’t where it needed to be.
After a couple of years with the Nashville Predators, Lankinen ended up with the Vancouver Canucks in 2024-25. Since landing there, things have been going great for him.
Lankinen played in 51 games for the Canucks. The season started with their perceived number one, Thatcher Demko, on the shelf. Lankinen took over as the starter and played well. He went 25-15-10 with a 2.62 goals against average, .902 save percentage, and four shutouts. On a team loaded with off-ice drama, he played magnificently.
Demko came back and appeared in 23 games, but he wasn’t the high-end starter that he was used to being before his injury. In the process of it all, Lankinen was rewarded with a five-year $22.5 million contract. His average annual value is $4.5 million per year.
Behind Lankinen (and Demko) on the depth chart used to be a great young goalie in Arturs Silovs, who has now been traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Between this trade and his contract extension, Lankinen can focus on hockey without worrying about his security in the NHL.
After the success that Demko and Lankinen have had at different points in their career, why would Silovs being there make them uneasy?
Well, he was incredible for the Abbotsford Canucks en route to winning the Calder Cup last spring. Silovs was the MVP of the Playoffs for his efforts. With him out of the mix, the two veteran netminders can go about their business as usual without worrying about losing their jobs.
Although the goaltending in Chicago has been shaky since Lankinen departed, they now seem to have it under control with three young goalies who they believe in. Spencer Knight is the plan as the long-term starter, while Arvid Soderblom and Drew Commesso battle it out for the backup role.
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