Leevi Merilainen, Aatu Räty, Manny Malhotra and the Canucks have a goaltending story worth following, and it starts with a summer in Finland.
Räty trained with Merilainen all summer in Oulu and isn't sure he scored a single goal on him. "I feel like I didn't score on him the whole summer," he said.
The two are neighbours, off-season training partners and friends since meeting at sports school in Grade 7. According to Räty, the goalie simply outworked everyone.
Vancouver needs that version badly. The Canucks have the worst defensive record in the league and were outscored 17-5 over the first three games of their eastern road trip.
Kevin Lankinen allowed six goals on 25 shots in Sunday's 6-2 loss to the Rangers.
His .786 save percentage ranks 36th of 37 goalies with at least three appearances, while Merilainen sits eighth at .929.
Manny Malhotra sees poise in a late-blooming goalie
Malhotra likes what he's seen. "I like the confidence that he shows as a young guy," he said. "I've seen just a lot of really poised play, as well as some massive saves at key times."
Vancouver targeted him all summer, and new GM Ryan Johnson landed him on waivers from Ottawa four days before the season.
Last season was rough. He was thrown into 11 straight starts in Ottawa and finished with an .860 save percentage in 20 NHL games.
Räty called him a late bloomer who "got really good at a later age" and "never quit." Merilainen agreed, saying he has always had to work his way up.
He should start now. With Thatcher Demko out indefinitely after major hip surgery, Vancouver has every reason to hand the young Finn the net and let him grow into it.
He's like a tree that took longer than the rest to bear fruit. Once it does, nobody remembers how long it took.
The Canucks visit the Islanders on Tuesday. Malhotra never reveals his starter early, but the numbers are making the decision for him.
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Räty couldn't beat him all summer. If NHL shooters start having the same problem, Vancouver may have found its goalie of the future on the waiver wire.
Is Leevi Merilainen the Canucks' goalie of the future?
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