One of the biggest question marks surrounding the Vancouver Canucks remains their current goaltending situation. With no clear answer on Thatcher Demko‘s health, Vancouver has reportedly been exploring the free agent market, looking to bring in another goaltender before the start of the season. While most of the focus has been on potential PTO options, one solution could come in the form of the Detroit Red Wings, who currently have a logjam of goaltenders at both the NHL, AHL and ECHL levels.
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Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Red Wings have four goaltenders signed to NHL contracts. On top of Ville Husso and Alex Lyon, who were with the team last season, Detroit added Cam Talbot as well as Jack Campbell on July 1. They also have Gage Alexander, who looks ready to make the jump to the NHL, as well as Sebastian Cossa, who has earned the starter job in the AHL. Ultimately, the Red Wings have too many goalies and will need to make some moves before the start of the regular season.
Detroit’s problem could be the Canucks solution, as multiple goaltenders will likely be put on waivers to start the season. The most likely candidates are Campbell and Lyon, who both have plenty of experience at the NHL level. With both players having a cap hit of under $1 million, a waiver claim on either could be a short-term solution for Vancouver if the opportunity presents itself.
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Based on their performances in 2023-24, Lyon would be the better option of the two. Last season with the Red Wings, Lyon had a 21-18-5 record while posting a save percentage of .904 and a goals-against average of 3.05. He was also part of Team USA at the World Championship but saw his tournament come to an end thanks to injury. Overall, Lyon showed that he could be a stable option over a long period of time as he became Detroit’s starter after Husso went down with an injury.
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As for Campbell, there are some positives that could make him a beneficial addition to the Canucks. He was able to find his footing in the AHL, going 18-13-1, and does has experience playing in Canadian markets. While he may not be the ideal choice for Vancouver, bringing the 32-year-old in may not be a bad option if injury trouble hits the organization at the start of the season.
In the end, the Canucks are in a complicated situation, especially if Demko is not ready for the start of the season. Yes, they do have Artūrs Šilovs and Jiří Patera, but the two come into the season with less than 30 NHL games combined. While bringing in one of the Red Wings goaltenders may only be a short-term fix, it would be beneficial as it would add a more experienced goaltender to Vancouver’s crease.
