Leevi Merilainen News

Kevin Lankinen has started the 2025-26 season abysmal, posting a dreadful 6.40 GAA and .807 SV% in seven outings (1-6-0). As a result, the Canucks have increasingly turned to Merilainen, who has been the more reliable goalie. The 24-year-old Merilainen was solid in his most recent outing, saving 36 of 39 shots (.923 SV%), but came up short in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers. In six appearances this season (1-1-1), Merilainen has a solid 2.51 GAA and .925 SV%. Still, the Canucks enter Tuesday's matchup as significant +253 home underdogs against the 7-2-1 Carolina Hurricanes.

Kevin Lankinen has started the 2025-26 season abysmal, posting a dreadful 6.40 GAA and .807 SV% in seven outings (1-6-0). As a result, the Canucks have increasingly turned to Merilainen, who has been the more reliable goalie. The 24-year-old Merilainen was solid in his most recent outing, saving 36 of 39 shots (.923 SV%), but came up short in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers. In six appearances this season (1-1-1), Merilainen has a solid 2.51 GAA and .925 SV%. Still, the Canucks enter Tuesday's matchup as significant +253 home underdogs against the 7-2-1 Carolina Hurricanes.

Kevin Lankinen has started the 2025-26 season abysmal, posting a dreadful 6.88 GAA and .786 SV% in six outings (1-5-0). As a result, the Canucks will roll with Merilainen, who has been their more reliable goalie. Merilainen was solid in his most recent outing, saving 35 of 38 shots (.921 SV%), but he didn't get enough goal support and lost 3-2 to the New York Islanders. The 24-year-old Finnish goalie has a 2.40 GAA and .926 SV% in five appearances (1-1-0). Still, the Canucks enter Thursday's contest as sizeable +252 road underdogs against a Florida Panthers team coming off an impressive 7-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Kevin Lankinen has started the 2025-26 season abysmal, posting a dreadful 6.88 GAA and .786 SV% in six outings (1-5-0). As a result, the Canucks will roll with Merilainen, who has been their more reliable goalie. Merilainen was solid in his most recent outing, saving 35 of 38 shots (.921 SV%), but he didn't get enough goal support and lost 3-2 to the New York Islanders. The 24-year-old Finnish goalie has a 2.40 GAA and .926 SV% in five appearances (1-1-0). Still, the Canucks enter Thursday's contest as sizeable +252 road underdogs against a Florida Panthers team coming off an impressive 7-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Canucks are allowing an alarming league-worst 5.0 goals per game through seven games this season (2-5-0). That said, Merilainen has been serviceable when called upon, greatly outdueling counterpart Kevin Lankinen. The 24-year-old Merilainen saved 31 of 34 shots (.912 SV%) in his previous outing, a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He has a 2.18 GAA and .929 SV% in four appearances this season (2-1-0). The Canucks enter Tuesday's contest as significant +191 road underdogs against a New York Islanders team coming off a 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Canucks are allowing an alarming league-worst 5.0 goals per game through seven games this season (2-5-0). That said, Merilainen has been serviceable when called upon, greatly outdueling counterpart Kevin Lankinen. The 24-year-old Merilainen saved 31 of 34 shots (.912 SV%) in his previous outing, a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He has a 2.18 GAA and .929 SV% in four appearances this season (2-1-0). The Canucks enter Tuesday's contest as significant +191 road underdogs against a New York Islanders team coming off a 5-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Merilainen faces some heavy competition for playing time in Ottawa this season as the team heads into 2026-27 with Linus Ullmark and Sam Ersson both under contract and ahead of him on the depth chart. The 23-year-old Merilainen, a third-round pick of the Senators in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, struggled in limited NHL action last season, posting a 3.51 GAA and .860 SV5 in 20 appearances (8-10-1).

Merilainen has played well in the AHL as of late and figures to serve as Ottawa's third goalie throughout the postseason. Merilainen has gone 8-8-1 with a 2.77 GAA and .909 SV% in 19 AHL games, bu struggled with Ottawa, posting an 8-10-1 record, 3.51 GAA and .860 SV% in 20 games.

James Reimer was serviceable in his Ottawa debut on Sunday, evidently giving the team enough trust in him to send Merilainen down to Belleville (AHL). The 23-year-old Merilainen has had a terrible season in Ottawa, which has been even worse since Linus Ullmark (personal) has been away from the team, posting a dreadful 3.27 GAA and .843 SV% in 10 games (4-5-1).

Even on the tail-end of a back-to-back, the Sens opt against giving James Reimer his team debut and instead will hand Merilainen his second start in as many nights. Merilainen was sharp in Tuesday's win over the Canucks, stopping 19 of the 20 shots he faced enroute to the 2-1 victory. The 23-year-old netminder has been inconsistent at best when called upon this season, posting a 7-10-0 record and an .870 SV% across 18 appearances. The Senators enter action on Wednesday at -115 on the money line.

The Senators are entrenched in an ugly four-game losing streak and will need Merilainen be a difference-maker on Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. The 23-year-old Merilainen has an ugly 3.48 GAA and .866 SV% in 17 games this season (6-10-0). He has a 3.04 GAA and .826 SV% in his last four games (0-4-0). That said, the Senators enter Tuesday's contest as -220 home favorites against a struggling Canucks team that lost 6-3 to the Montreal Canadiens yesterday, extending their losing streak to seven games (0-5-2).