Kevin Lankinen is 3-0-1 in his first four games with the Vancouver Canucks.

The Vancouver Canucks may have the steal of the offseason on their hands with goaltender Kevin Lankinen. Signed on September 21, Lankinen has come in and played so well that he has established himself as the team's starter. Not only did the Canucks management team score with his acquisition but also on the contract cost, as Lankinen's cap hit of $875,000 ranks 20th among NHL goaltenders. 

Through his first four games, Lankinen has a 3-0-1 record and sits tied for sixth with Casey DeSmith in save percentage at .941. The former Nashville Predators goaltender also has a shutout and according to MoneyPuck, has a goals saved above expected of 3.7. Lankinen also has a wins above replacement of 0.62, which ranks tenth in the NHL. 

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Arguably, Lankinen's most impressive stat comes from NHL EDGE. According to the league-wide database, Lankinen has a high-danger save percentage of .893, allowing just three goals on 28 shots. For comparison, that ranks ninth in the league, with Lankinen above players like Jake Oettinger, Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin. The 29-year-old's athleticism and ability to read the play has been on full display this season and is one of the many reasons why Vancouver has been able to collect seven of a possible eight points during his starts. 

Lankien also brings crucial experience in the absence of Thatcher Demko. If he didn't sign, the Canucks would have had a crease of Artūrs Šilovs and Jiří Patera, who have played less than 30 career NHL games. While Šilovs does have the potential to be a starter, having an experienced goaltender in Lankinen, who has played 116 games, allows the young Latvian keeper to develop rather than just throwing him night after night and hoping for the best. Not only is this signing helping the organization today, but it also could have an impact on Vancouver's success in the future.

While it is still early, bringing in Lankinen has proved to be a massive win for the Canucks organization. He has provided some stability in Vancouver's crease and is cost-efficient, allowing the Canucks to go out and bring in additional assets later on in the season. If Lankinen can keep performing at this high level, he could finish the year as the best signing from the 2024 offseason.