The Vancouver Canucks are adding a goaltender to the bubble. After Michael DiPietro was deemed unfit to play, the Canucks have recalled Jake Kielly. DiPietro hadn’t actually joined the team in the bubble but was remaining under “Phase 4” testing protocols, according to Thomas Drance of The Athletic. Thus, Kielly will report to Edmonton.
Though there has not been, and likely will not be, a corresponding announcement on the health of Jacob Markstrom, it’s hard not to assume this is bad news for him returning anytime soon. The Canucks moved to Thatcher Demko in their do-or-die Game 5 on Tuesday, and thanks to a strong performance his team will be back on the ice Thursday. It’s not clear yet if Kielly will be dressed and on the bench as the backup or is just being brought in as a precaution.
If he was forced into action, it would be quite the leap for the 23-year-old Kielly. An undrafted signing out of Clarkson University in 2019, the young goaltender spent almost the entire 2019-20 season at the ECHL level. Even those low minors proved difficult, as Kielly posted just an .887 save percentage in 24 appearances, with a 7-11-4 record for the Kalamazoo Wings.
While the Canucks head into this Game 6 with nothing but staving off elimination on their mind, it could be a sneak peak into the goaltending situation next season for the team. Markstrom is scheduled for unrestricted free agency, while Demko has been a top prospect of the organization for several years. The 24-year-old posted a .905 save percentage in 27 NHL appearances this season but has allowed just a single goal on 48 shots in the postseason.
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