Canucks Wrap: Kevin Lankinen arrives in Vancouver
In Sunday's edition of Canucks Wrap, we’ll be talking the latest Vancouver Canucks news, NHL news, stories, highlights, and more from the last day.
Canucks News
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right? At long last, the Vancouver Canucks finally announced the signing of former Nashville Predators goalie Kevin Lankinen, who has been linked to the club for most of the NHL offseason.
Lankinen, 29, faced the Canucks with the Predators in the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, though Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs combined forces to dispatch Nashville in six games.
New Canucks forward Kiefer Sherwood, who signed a two-year, $3 million contract with Vancouver on the opening day of NHL free agency on July 1, was apparently pretty fired up to hear that his former teammate would be joining the Canucks.
Just told Kiefer Sherwood that the #Canucks signed his former Preds teammate Kevin Lankinen (the players hadn’t heard about it yet). He cracked a big smile & said that the team picked up an excellent goalie & a fun loving guy. @Sportsnet650 #Canucks
— Randip Janda (@RandipJanda) September 21, 2024
Sherwood also happily told Sportsnet 650's Randip Janda that the Canucks picked up an excellent goalie and a fun-loving guy in Lankinen.
NHL News
In case you didn't already believe in the hype, Philadelphia Flyers rookie sensation Matvei Michkov made his official unofficial NHL debut on Sunday, helping the Orange and Black take down the Washington Capitals at the Capital One Arena in his first preseason game.
Flyers veteran Joel Farabee led the way with a goal and three assists, while center Morgan Frost was right behind him with two goals and an assist of his own.
Michkov, 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko, and Bobby Brink each chipped in two points in the 6-2 victory, as goalies Carson Bjarnason and Ivan Fedotov combined for the W.
In other preseason games that will be of note to the Canucks and fans, the Edmonton Oilers and the Vegas Golden Knights each won their exhibition games on Sunday, winning 3-2 against Winnipeg and 4-2 against San Jose, respectively.
The Utah Hockey Club also made its on-ice debut, taking down the St. Louis Blues, 5-3, despite scoring an own goal with Karel Vejmelka on the bench for an extra attacker during a delayed penalty call.