Vancouver Canucks goalie suddenly leaves the team for personal reasons after just one NHL start this season
Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Vancouver Canucks will continue to have issues in the goaltender department, however it is for some good news as Nikitai Tolopito is flying back home with a baby on the way any day now, Jiri Patera will be called back up to join Kevin Lankinen while Thatcher Demko is still recovering.
The Canucks have had anything but goaltending stability and it has gone all the way down the organization.
"After not suiting up in either of Vancouver's games over the November 8th-9th weekend due to what the club called "maintenance reasons", Demko returned to the crease for the their all-Canadian clash with the Winnipeg Jets, but after one period, he was forced to leave with a suspected groin injury."-Jaxon
Vancouver Canucks recall Jiri Patera in relief of Nikita Tolopito.
Preston Hodgkinson of the Daily Hive reported on the sudden absence of Tolopito, and that it's been a common trend this year for the Canucks, with baby fever affecting more than one player.
"In October, Lankinen and his wife welcomed their firstborn, followed by Kiefer Sherwood announcing that his family is expecting their first child. David Kämpf then dropped the news that his family was expecting shortly after inking a contract with the Canucks. Though the Canucks are going through a rough start to the year, plenty of players are taking big steps in their personal lives."-Hodgkinson
Tolopito is a promising goaltending prospect from Belarus, he dominated the Swedish League a couple seasons ago, and the Canucks signed him two a two year deal. He has been good enough to suggest trade rumours of either one of the Canucks goalies Demko or Lankinen.
"Tolopilo is undrafted and came to the Canucks as an overseas free agent in 2023. He was a standout in the Swedish Hockey League, posting an impressive .924 save percentage through 45 games in the 2022-23 season. That earned him a two-year entry-level deal with the Canucks beginning in 2023-24."-Hodgkinson
Both him and Patera will return to the AHL, once Demko is ready to go again. But Tolopito has definitely planted that seed in everyones mind, that he could become the Canucks starting goaltender in the near future.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 1 | 1168 ANSWERS Vancouver Canucks goalie suddenly leaves the team for personal reasons after just one NHL start this season Will Nikita Tolopilo steal the starting job for the Vancouver Canucks in the near future? | ||
| Yes | 762 | 65.2 % |
| No | 406 | 34.8 % |
| List of polls | ||