1. Sports
2. Hockey
3. NHL
4. Vancouver Canucks

Meet your new Canucks goalie: Leevi Meriläinen

With Thatcher Demko still on the shelf, the Canucks have been looking around for another goalie.

Published Sep 25, 2026  •  Last updated 1 day ago  •  2 minute read

New Canucks goalie Leevi Merilainen at Ottawa Senators training camp in 2025.

When you are a rebuilding team, you need to throw as many darts as you can.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

• Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.
• Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.
• The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
• Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.
• Support local journalism.

Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.

• Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.
• Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.
• The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.
• Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.
• Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

• Access articles from across Canada with one account.
• Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
• Enjoy additional articles per month.
• Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

• Access articles from across Canada with one account
• Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments
• Enjoy additional articles per month
• Get email updates from your favourite authors

And when an interesting goalie hits the waiver wire, that’s a dart worth throwing.

On Friday, Canucks GM Ryan Johnson claimed goalie Leevi Meriläinen off waivers, grabbing the 24-year-old Finn away from the Ottawa Senators.

Once a star prospect for the Senators, he became the third man in the pecking order in Ottawa behind Linus Ullmark and Samuel Ersson. The Sens had hoped to slip him to the AHL, but that was not to be. Not for now anyway.

A third-round pick in 2020, Meriläinen looked to be making a claim as goalie-of-the-future when he stepped into the starter’s role in 2024-25, winning eight of 12 starts and posting a 92.5 save percentage while filling in for Ullmark, who was battling a back injury.

But last season was a mess for him, as he slumped to a 86.0 save percentage in 19 starts for Ottawa. With Ullmark away on personal leave, the team turned to him and Mads Sogaard, but neither played well enough and eventually the Sens signed veteran James Reimer.

In his one pre-season start this year, Meriläinen was shelled for six goals on Wednesday night against Toronto. He was waived on Thursday.

In the AHL, he has performed well, playing to the potential he’d shown at lower levels.

This is a netminder that Canucks goalie scout Ian Clark would have had his eyes on — tall but not towering, he nonetheless is long-limbed and athletic in the crease.

Canucks goalie coach Marko Torenius will know Meriläinen’s track record well and presumably will look to work to calm the Finn’s game. He was said to have be an absolute mess in Wednesday’s start. The Clark/Torenius approach is to have him sit deeper in the crease and to stand taller than convention, waiting to commit to a save and working to track the puck.

Grabbing Meriläinen means the Canucks have three goalies under contract beyond the injured Thatcher Demko. There s no doubt now that Nikita Tolopilo will be waived, with the Canucks surely hoping they can get him to Abbotsford. And presumably Chris Driedger, who has been in camp on a tryout, will be released.

Might one of those two land with Ottawa? The Senators now need a third goalie themselves.

pjohnston@postmedia.com

1. 
   Canucks: Doubts about Thatcher Demko? Kevin Lankinen is ready
2. 
   Canucks: Still no timeline for Thatcher Demko's return to action

1. 
   Vancouver Canucks
2. 
   Vancouver Canucks
3. 
   Vancouver Canucks
4. 
   Vancouver Canucks
5. 
   Vancouver Canucks