Kraken and Canucks
These northern neighbours have an interesting tie-in this season, and it involves the most important position on the ice.
Check out Canucks stopper Kevin Lankinen. With club number-one goalie Thatcher Demko chronically injured over the last two seasons, generally speaking, and his play not completely back up to snuff, Mr. Lankinen has stepped in admirably. To the point of taking over the number-one spot.
The pending UFA is working for $875,000 this season after signing a one-year deal in late September. Talk about a bargain! Lankinen has started 31 times, winning 18 of those games, to Demko’s 12 and three respectively. There’s simply no comparison in terms of goaltending statistics.
In Seattle, it was a bit more predictable. Philipp Grubauer has been an overpaid, injury prone, team confidence killer for as far back as we can remember. Yes, Grubi’s had some solid moments; the 2022-’23 playoff run comes to mind, but his regular seasons have been anything but sterling, to the point now where he’s essentially a non-factor.
Grubi was between the pipes for the 6-4 home loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night. Yes he was hung out to dry by his teammates on a number of occasions, but clearly the Kraken are more confident in general when the man who was originally supposed to be the back-up is between the pipes.
That would be Joey Daccord. He’s the main man. To the tune of 31 starts to Grubauer’s 21, and 17 victories to just 5. Daccord is top-ten in the NHL in both save percentage and goals against average.
His play last season earned him a five-year, $5-million per contract at the start of this one. Soon enough, if he continues the way he’s going, that number will seem like a major bargain. Meanwhile, Grubi’s $5.9-million for two more seasons is anything but. It’s a cap-eating anchor.
Netminding is a fickle position. One can never make assumptions, even when it appears there’s smooth sailing.
Both the Canucks and the Kraken have been fortunate and skilled in finding solid answers to problems that could have been disasters.
