Canucks recall goaltender Nikita Tolopilo ahead of California road trip

Tolopilo, 25, has put up a .901 save percentage through five games with the struggling Abbotsford Canucks so far this season. Tolopilo made his NHL debut with the Canucks last season, winning his first and only career start against the San Jose Sharks. After that, he served as the backup to Arturs Silovs for the Abbotsford Canucks’ Calder Cup run, although the two did split starts for Abbotsford during the regular season.

When Thatcher Demko went down with his most recent injury, Tolopilo himself was still on the shelf with an injury that kept him out for a few AHL games, meaning it was Jiri Patera who got the first goaltending call up of the season. Patera missed most of last season with a lower-body injury that limited him to just seven AHL starts. Patera made his first NHL start as a Canuck during this most recent call up, allowing seven goals on 40 shots against the Florida Panthers. Because Patera was called up under emergency conditions following the injury to Demko, Tolopilo also needed to be recalled under emergency conditions.

The Canucks haven’t exactly gotten great goaltending as of late, as Kevin Lankinen has allowed 15 goals over his last four starts. On Sunday night against the Flames, Lankinen allowed over two goals above expected in what ended up being a 5-2 loss for the Canucks (as we wrote in today’s edition of The Statsies). The Canucks are preparing to hit the road for a Wednesday night matchup with the Anaheim Ducks before heading to San Jose and LA on Friday and Saturday night, respectively.

With back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday — and the fact that Lankinen hasn’t been particularly sharp as of late — it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise to see Tolopilo get into a game for the Canucks this week.