Nikita Tolopilo will not be waiver eligible next season.
The Vancouver Canucks are going to face some déjà vu in the 2026 off-season. Just like this past year, Vancouver could be forced to trade their young up-and-coming goaltender due to waiver issues. That goaltender is Nikita Tolopilo, who will no longer be waiver eligible once the 2026-27 season begins.
This situation may sound familiar, as it is the exact same one that the Canucks faced with Artūrs Šilovs during the 2025 off-season. The end result was that Vancouver traded Šilovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins instead of hoping he would not be claimed in the waiver system. Šilovs had just come off a Calder Cup championship and was dealt for forward Chase Stillman and a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
According to PuckPedia, Tolopilo will no longer be eligible for waivers next season. This has to do with the age at which he signed and the number of years he has played in either the AHL or NHL. The 2025-26 season is Tolopilo's third with the organization and his second in which he has played NHL games.
While he has only played 13 games this year, Tolopilo has proven he can be at least a reliable goaltender in the NHL. This season, the 25-year-old has a 4-5-2 record with a save percentage of .899. Tolopilo has also played 19 games for Abbotsford, with a record of 8-8-3.
Why the Canucks may be forced to trade Tolopilo is due to No-Movement Clauses with both Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen. Demko's new contract kicks in on July 1, while Lankinen's No Movement Clause doesn't shift to a Modified No Trade Clause until 2027-28. Unless something changes before July 1, both Demko and Lankinen will be unmovable heading into the 2026-27 season.
Mar 2, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Nikita Tolopilo (60) prepares to make a save against the Dallas Stars in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn ImagesWhile the off-season is still a few months away, potentially losing Tolopilo should be seen as a significant issue. Vancouver can not afford to lose another goaltender, as Tolopilo is more than likely to be claimed if put on waivers. Ultimately, the Canucks will need to get creative during the 2026 off-season if they want to keep Tolopilo in the organization.
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