As things continue to go from bad to worse in Canuck land, the team, who is already without their number one goaltender in Thatcher Demko, will now be without incumbent starter Kevin Lankinen due to personal reasons for an unspecified amount of time.
Lankinen will miss at least the start of the Canucks upcoming four-game road trip that is set to begin on Wednesday against the Anaheim Ducks, and as a result the team found itself in the midst of a juggling act of moves.
On Tuesday Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced that goaltender Jiri Patera had been assigned to Abbotsford, and that goaltender Nikita Tolopilo had been recalled under emergency conditions.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that G Jiri Patera has been assigned to Abbotsford (AHL) and G Nikita Tolopilo has been recalled from Abbotsford (AHL) under emergency conditions.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 24, 2025
Today, Allvin announced that in correspondence with Lankinen not travelling with the team due to the aforementioned personal reasons, that Patera has been recalled from Abbotsford, also under emergency conditions.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that G Kevin Lankinen will not travel with the team due to personal reasons and that G Jiri Patera has been recalled from Abbotsford (AHL) under emergency conditions.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) November 25, 2025
Amidst the flurry of transactions, the bottom line is that the Canucks two goaltenders will be Jiri Patera and Nikita Tolopilo until Lankinen is able to return to the team.
Patera has had one appearance for the Canucks this season, allowing seven goals in a loss against the Florida Panthers on November 17th, and Tolopilo has missed much of the season due to injury, and has yet to make an appearance for the team at the NHL level this season.
There is no word yet on who the Canucks will start on Wednesday against the Ducks, but with the team playing back-to-back games on Friday against the San Jose Sharks, and Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings, one has to believe that both goaltenders will make appearances if Lankinen has not yet returned to the team.
Since the absence of Thatcher Demko, Lankinen has started eight of the Canucks last nine games to mixed individual results and poor team results, as the team has just two wins in that time. If the Canucks hope to remain in the playoff picture, it goes without saying that they will need big performances from Patera and Tolopilo.