The Canucks are heading into 2026-27 with a goalie picture that feels one trade call away from clarity or chaos. Nikita Tolopilo is right in the middle of it, and his next step may decide whether Vancouver keeps him as part of the answer or uses him to solve the rest of the roster.
A Goalie Battle With Too Many Names
Vancouver does not have a simple crease situation. Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen are established NHL options, and Tolopilo has forced his way into the conversation by surviving a season that moved him between leagues and gave the organization a closer look at what he can and cannot handle.
The problem is not talent alone. It is the math of the depth chart. Three goalies can fit on paper, but they rarely fit cleanly into an NHL schedule, especially for a team that needs every roster slot to matter.
- Demko brings the highest ceiling, but his health is always part of the discussion.
- Lankinen offers experience and stability, which makes him difficult to move cheaply.
- Tolopilo is younger than the veterans and closer to the team’s longer-term timeline.
What Last Season Revealed
Tolopilo’s 2025-26 campaign was a bounce between opportunity and damage control. He logged 19 games in the AHL and 21 in the NHL, which sounds like progress until the raw numbers are placed beside the workload and the game environment around him.
His AHL line finished at a 3.07 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage. In the NHL, those numbers slid to a 3.61 goals-against average and a .881 save percentage. He also had 14 starts in which he surrendered at least three goals, which tells the story of a goalie who was often left to absorb too much pressure.
Still, the season was not empty. He had stretches that showed why Vancouver kept coming back to him, especially when the team needed a body who could handle real NHL shooters and not completely unravel.
The Nights That Kept Him Relevant
Late January offered the clearest glimpse of his value. He started three straight games and allowed only four goals total across that stretch, even though the results were mixed because the skaters in front of him struggled to finish off games.
One performance stood out above the rest. He stopped 32 shots in a 2-0 win and was on track for what should have been his first career shutout before a concussion-protocol interruption pushed Lankinen into the game and erased the personal milestone from Tolopilo’s night.
Two days later, he delivered another strong answer against Toronto by making 39 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss. He even denied Auston Matthews on a penalty shot in overtime, the kind of moment that can change the way a coaching staff talks about a goalie.
The second half of the year was rougher. After another stint in the AHL, he returned to Vancouver for good and appeared in 11 more games from March through April, starting eight. Only one of those starts stayed below two goals against, though he ended the season with a 24-save win over Anaheim that gave him a useful note to carry into the summer.
What Needs to Happen in Camp
Training camp is where Tolopilo’s future becomes sharper. He does not need to win the job outright to matter, but he does need to create a problem for management. That means showing enough consistency that the Canucks either keep him because they trust him or move him because another team values him more highly.
Three outcomes sit in front of him, and none of them are especially subtle.
- He gets traded: This is the cleanest and most likely path if Vancouver wants to avoid carrying excess goaltending depth.
- The Canucks keep all three goalies: This is possible, but it would create awkward playing-time distribution and waste a roster spot.
- A veteran is moved instead: This is the least likely option, but it makes sense if the club decides Tolopilo fits the long-term build better.
The age factor matters here. Demko and Lankinen are veterans on a team that is still trying to clarify its direction, while Tolopilo is 26 and lines up more naturally with a rebuild than with a short-term patch job.
What the 2026-27 Outlook Looks Like
If Tolopilo remains in Vancouver, the most realistic expectation is a share of the starts rather than a true takeover. A range of 30 to 35 appearances feels reasonable if the team rotates him and the crease stays crowded. His numbers would likely depend as much on team structure as on his individual form.
If he is traded, the picture changes fast. A team looking for a young goalie with NHL experience would probably give him a bigger workload, likely somewhere in the 40 to 45 start range if the fit is right. That would be less about backup duty and more about proving he can handle an expanded role.
One outcome does not make sense: a waiver gamble. Vancouver is unlikely to expose him for nothing, which means the organization will either keep him, trade him, or use him as part of a larger move. The AHL is not where this story is headed next.
Why Tolopilo Matters More Than His Stat Line
Tolopilo is not the top goalie on the roster, but he may be the one whose timeline best matches the club’s next phase. That matters in a league where goaltending decisions can linger for years after they are made.
He is also the kind of player whose value can rise quickly if the environment changes. Better structure in front of him, cleaner defensive habits, and a more defined role could make a major difference in how he looks by midseason.
If Vancouver wants to simplify its future in net, Tolopilo is one of the names that could move the process forward. If the club keeps him, the next question becomes whether he can turn a crowded crease into a real chance.
Bottom line: Tolopilo’s 2026-27 season will likely be decided before puck drop. If Vancouver sees him as part of the future, he could become the bridge between the current veterans and the next wave. If not, another team may be the one to benefit from the upside he has already shown.