This is even better than we could've ever imagined...
Oct 23, 2026
This is even better than we could have ever imagined.
As you could go as far as saying the Vancouver Canucks robbed the NHL
with this one move they made to start the season
when claiming a young goaltender off waivers.
We're going to dive into everything you need to know
and exactly why fans should be fired up about
not only Merrill Linen in this season
as the young kid has set standards even higher than fans expected
but an outlook at the future
and the star potential growing between the pipes we're
going to break down everything you need to know
on this ongoing situation what it means the
implications and so much more
in this episode before we start we're trying to reach our goal
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just dive straight into it today where Merrill Linen
has earned more starts not only this season but
now opening a new outlook for the young goaltender
with the Canucks looking at Merrill Linen and of
course what he's done over the stretch of games
in front of him is a very bad team that's allowing
a lot of shots Merrill Linen has start by start
a good season now getting a win versus Calgary
958 save percentage everyone's getting wins versus Calgary nowadays
but looking at the numbers and
the starts of course I'm not going to sit here
and say he had a great game versus Carolina
in their last showing when they went home
but looking at the quality starts four in a row
including games versus the New Jersey Devils
a team that blew up the New York Rangers 7-1
the New York Islanders
and the Florida Panthers what we're seeing out of Merrill Linen is putting
pressure on not only Kevin Lankinen
who we're going to dive into later in this episode having
probably the worst start you could ask
for but Merrill Linen has completely turned fans minds
and thoughts on this goaltending position especially
with Thatcher Demko and his return at
some point this season now looking at Kevin Lankinen
and quality starts having won this season
versus the Vegas Golden Knights where
of course he's still lost finishing the game with an .893
save percentage near the top
and if not the top save percentage he had this entire season
but looking at this it's
not just reporters people looking Manny Malhotra spoke on
Merrill Linen as well I like the confidence
that he shows as a young guy looking at starts and
how he continues to progress looking
at him it's now obvious that the Canucks are going to start
leaning on him looking at of course their last five games Kevin Lankinen
and getting two starts
over the stretch with an 833 save percentage.
Merrill Linen finishing with three starts over the span,
facing 120 shots,
double what Kevin Lankinen did in just two games
with a 908 save percentage.
Now the Canucks are starting to look at Merrill Linen
and how they're going to figure this out.
It's a quiet kid.
Goaltenders are introverted.
They're really weird when you look at everything they do.
But now looking at this
and what he brings to this organization
is stability between the net this doesn't even include
when you're looking farther down with
Nikita Tolopilo down in the AHL with Ty Young
if you want to work farther you still have over in
the OHL and the junior leagues Medvedev
a goaltender that is struggling a bit since being
drafted by the Canucks just last year
with the Braden Coates draft this is now a goaltender
that now makes you wonder how they're going to manage him
and a kid that of course still needs
a contract after the season but now it's testing his NHL upside
and what he's going to bring
every day now Merrill Linen spoke coming into the season
and Manny Malhotra spoke even more
he's super grateful for the opportunities
that he's got the goalie coach has done incredible
and looking at the numbers yes I understand Shostakhin
is out for the year but early goalie
comparison and looking at Merrill Linen
and come close on what we've seen out of Shostakhin which was
regarded as the best start in the NHL by any goaltender
a 927 with a 1.79 goals against average
Merrill Linen and playing on a worse team with a .917
a 295 goals against average sitting 53rd percentile
in the NHL this is now a young kid that I'm loving
the way that he's working and looking at the stats
everything with him the saves the shots the goals against
the games played everything's in the green
for a young guy and playing in and behind
a team defense like the Vancouver Canucks had which is a
lot worse than fans probably expected this is a guy
that would in most situations look bad play
worse most goalies would Kevin Lankinen's one of them
but Merrill Linen has taken this and stepped
into a new role as someone that's legitimately going
to be viewed as maybe the starting
goaltender heading in until Thatcher Demko comes back showing
the potential the potential of this
guy coming through but now the biggest thing
is and the new test coming through is consistency
sustaining this workload
and seeing how we can grow if you get into Thatcher Demko coming back
and we see Merrill Linen continue to grow it's going
to get interesting on how you're going to
get into the point of what do you
do with your three-headed goalies none of them can go down
on waivers they would all have to go on waivers sorry
to be cleared in the AHL Thatcher Demko
of course Kevin Lankinen and Merrill Linen
who they of course picked up on waivers thank you
Ottawa Senators fans for having this guy come
to Vancouver looking at the expected save percentage
for Merrill Linen at .897 sitting at .915 on the season
a plus .018 on that sitting at goals against
in his career looking at an .886 this season a .915 again
this is going to be a guy that continues to
grow and press and I know I hype quite a few people up
but looking at it you now need to decide
on what you're going to do with this contract
because you're not going to run three goaltenders
because not only is that going to be unproductive
for guys like this not getting in are you going
to sit Kevin Lankinen in first stretch of games
and it truly raises the question on if you're
looking at maybe a world where one
of the three goaltenders will be traded by Christmas now
looking at this and the consistency he gave
a huge shout out to of course the goalie coach Marco he's
been incredible working with him helping him
and getting him early coaching tips on how to grow
he's giving me some good tips early on this is a kid
that's like a sponge and fans i want to know
your thoughts and what do you think happens
with this and the rotations are you going to give them
a larger role moving forward keep them
a balanced tandem wait for a larger sample size and what do
you think happens when the trade market opens
for goalies towards the deadline are the Canucks kind
of forced into that position to have to move
on from one of their guys let me know your thoughts
down in the comments but we're going to continue
on with some updates coming around the team
including Marco Rossi returning as the Canucks look
at their next game versus the Detroit Red
Wings now with Marco Rossi out
because of an illness the Canucks made some line changes now
this is surely going to change I'll
do a full video tomorrow going into the game but with him
back and practicing after missing the last two games we get
a look at the lines that are projected
or at least their finer practice before going
into game day where Manny Malhotra put the lines
into quite a blender Drew O'Connor getting promoted
from the fourth line up with Petey and Carlson
that Petey assist was awesome I just wish he didn't fall
on it Connor Rossi and Besser Jake
DeRoskey, Dylan Lighter, MacKeith, Liam O'Grinn,
Sasson and Brendan Gallagher now looking at the
defensive end as well dpd with Horanick Jimmy Latsiak
with Tom Villener Z Boyem with of
course shedding coming out
and Victor Mancini going back in fans i want to know your thoughts
what is your thoughts on the schedule coming up what
is your thoughts on the Canucks of course
there's a lot of losses in a row if you're looking
at this a big stretch over the month of October
at least the season started early
but longer season means probably more losses than we seen
last year but let me know your thoughts
of course we have the Detroit game coming up we have the
return of Quinn Hughes i hope that man gets booed before going
on the road versus the San Jose Sharks
and the Ducks i want to know your thoughts
on everything to do around this team because again
i just love talking Canucks
and it's awesome to be able to do with you guys every single day
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been your host mark bye take care canucks fans i'll see
in the next one and let's get a win tomorrow