The Vancouver Canucks, PWHL Vancouver, And Abbotsford Canucks Have Goalie Tandems That All Teams Should Envy

The province of BC has been spoiled with great goaltending in the past couple of decades with the Vancouver Canucks, but the 2025–26 season may be the most optimistic yet. Not only will the Canucks ice a goalie tandem with two stellar netminders, but Vancouver will also see excellent goaltending from the Abbotsford Canucks and the newly-established PWHL Vancouver. Let’s take a look at the goaltenders that will take to the ice for these three teams. 

Thatcher Demko Will Bounce Back In 2025–26 

The past year has been difficult for Demko. He dealt with multiple injuries, including a popliteus injury that took him out of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs and delayed his 2024–25 season debut to December. Throughout the rest of the season, he missed two extra stints, resulting in the former Vezina Trophy finalist only playing in 23 games. While his numbers were subpar generally speaking, results like these are expected given the fact that he’d been injured more than once and didn’t have a healthy off-season to traing during. Demko still showed flashes of his usual excellence during a few games, notably when playing against the Colorado Avalanche, indicating that he will bounce-back in 2025–26 after taking the off-season to train and prepare. 

Expect Another Solid Season From Kevin Lankinen 

Lankinen will be entering the first season of a five-year contract extension at the start of 2025–26. The goaltender set career highs during his stint as Vancouver’s starter last season, posting four shutouts in 51 games played. As well as setting a new NHL record, he also ended up snagging the starting role for Team Finland partway through the 4 Nations Faceoff. He was busier than ever during the 2024–25 season, which resulted in somewhat of a skid towards the back half of the year. However, with the return of Demko, both goaltenders will be able to get ample rest while the other starts. Because of this, it’s probable that Lankinen could post even better numbers than the ones he had in 2024–25.  

Gold Medal Glory Lives In Emerance Maschmeyer

Maschmeyer is the most internationally-decorated goaltender who is set to play in Vancouver next season. While fellow PWHL Vancouver tender Kristen Campbell provides good competition in that regard, she ultimately doesn’t sport the same medal count that Maschmeyer does. In her entire international hockey career, Maschmeyer has four IIHF World Championship Golds (three in the women’s category, one in U-18 women’s), four Silvers, and one Bronze Medal. She also won Gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, during which she played in two games and registered a 0.50 GAA and .957 SV%. After a solid 2.58 GAA, .913 SV% performance with the Ottawa Charge in 2024–25, she’ll be bringing her wealth of goaltending expertise to the Pacific Coliseum. 

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Kristen Campbell, 2024 Goaltender Of The Year

Campbell has been a force both within the PWHL and in international play. She has three IIHF World Championship Gold Medals and two Silvers to her name, as well as an Olympic Gold from 2022. A former member of the Toronto Sceptres (also known as PWHL Toronto in 2023–24), Campbell was named Goaltender of the Year after her performances in the league’s inaugural season (2024). During this season, she posted a 1.99 GAA and .927 SV%, also registering three shutouts in her season record of 16–6–0. This was capped off by a playoff run in which she had two shutouts and a stunning 0.93 GAA. In 2024–25, she played in 21 of her team’s games and put up 2.25 GAA and a .910 SV%. 

Nikita Tolopilo’s Stock Is On The Rise

Tolopilo is yet another Canucks hidden gem who was mined from an unlikely spot. An undrafted goaltender, Tolopilo played in his first AHL season back in 2023–24. He has operated as a consistent starter in Abbotsford since then, registering back-to-back 20-win seasons with 35 and 36 games played chronologically. He posted four shutouts in the 2024–25 season with Abbotsford and made his NHL debut for Vancouver on April 14. While Tolopilo is only 25, he still has lots of playing time ahead of him, as the Canucks recently signed him to a two-year contract extension. 

Ty Is A Young Organization Veteran

Young skated in his fourth development camp with the Canucks this off-season, but as the years have progressed, it’s clear the goaltender has grown. He may take on a veteran-like character when with his fellow prospects, but Young has youth and potential on his side. The 2024–25 season was his first pro-season, during which he split starts with Abbotsford and the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL. With Artūrs Šilovs now a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Young has the opportunity to join Tolopilo semi-full-time in Abbotsford’s crease. In his 11 starts with the AHL Canucks in 2024–25, Young posted a 2.72 GAA and .904 SV% while winning eight games and dropping only three. 

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