Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-3, 186 lbs |
| Birthplace: Oulu, Finland |
| Age: 24 |
| Experience: 3 |
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1:01Oilers Goaltending Continues to Struggle in Win
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1:34Oilers Come Up Short In 1st Game Under Mike Babcock
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0:50Highlights: Canucks at Oilers (9/29)
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0:48Oilers Enter Mike Babcock Era
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0:48Oilers Hire Mike Babcock as Head Coach
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8:04How Tortorella's Departure Impact The NHL Coaching Carousel
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1:04Jordan Staal Lifts Hurricanes To Win Game 4
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1:06Surplus of Goals Defining Stanley Cup Final
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1:40John Tortorella In 1st Cup Final Since Winning In 2004 With Lightning
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10:14Reasons Why the Golden Knights Can Win the Stanley Cup
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1:14NHL Coaching Matchmaker: Kings
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0:51NHL Coaching Matchmaker: Canucks
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0:48Breaking: Canucks Fire Head Coach Adam Foote After One Season
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1:16Maple Leafs Job Open After Craig Berube Firing
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1:00Gavin McKenna: The NHL Draft's Likely No. 1 Pick
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0:36Canucks Favorites to Land No. 1 Pick in NHL Draft
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1:19Newhook's Game-Winner Sends Canadiens to 2nd Round
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1:26Why Do the Oilers Always Fall Behind in the Playoffs?
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1:04How Does Hughes Trade Shake Up The Western Conference?
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1:14"Minnesota Made A Statement Trade," Pierre McGuire says
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2026 Goaltending
| STATS |
W
Wins
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L
Losses
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OTL
Overtime Loss
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GAA
Goals Against Average
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SV%
Saves Percentage
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SO
Shutout
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3.30 | .897 | 0 |
Top Leevi Merilainen News
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Strong performance again
Merilainen stopped 24 shots in a 4-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday. He allowed three goals.
Merilainen has badly outplayed starter, Kevin Lankinen, and is 2-5-1 with a 3.31 GAA and .897 save percentage in nine starts (11 appearances). Those numbers aren't as bad as they look -- the NHL average for save percentage is .891. Merilainen is typically hung out to dry most nights, but he hangs in there and gives the Orcas a chance. Plus his 5.45 GSAx is 16th in the NHL. He's making the most of this opportunity and is worth monitoring for future drafts when the team improves.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: In goal Saturday
Merilainen will tend the home twine versus the Maple Leafs on Saturday, Jeff Paterson of the Sekeres and Price podcast reports.
Merilainen will make his fourth straight start. He's allowed 12 goals on 81 shots over his last three outings, though he's managed to go 1-2-0 in that span. The 24-year-old netminder looks to have built some trust with head coach Manny Malhotra, but Merilainen's performance lately hasn't made him a reliable fantasy option.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Stumbles in third period
Merilainen stopped 21 of 24 shots in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Sharks.
Merilainen gave up all three goals in a span of 2:50 during the third period, turning a 2-0 lead into the 3-2 deficit that held to the end of the game. That's not a great look, but this was the first time in his last four outings that he kept a team under four goals. Merilainen is at a 2-4-1 record with a 3.33 GAA and an .898 save percentage across 10 appearances this season. The Canucks return home to face the Maple Leafs on Saturday. Considering Merilainen has played in a season-high three straight games, Kevin Lankinen may be due for a start soon.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: First goalie off Thursday
Merilainen was the first goalie off during Thursday's morning skate, Max Miller of NHL.com reports, indicating that he'll draw the road start against San Jose.
Merilainen returned to the win column Tuesday against Anaheim for the first time since Oct. 3, and he'll draw a third consecutive start Thursday. Across his nine appearances to begin the regular season, he's gone 2-3-1 with a 3.35 GAA and .900 save percentage.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Surrenders five goals in overtime win
Merilainen stopped 18 of 23 shots in Tuesday's 6-5 overtime win over the Ducks.
Merilainen's performance didn't inspire much confidence, but he was able to lock in late as the Canucks pulled off an improbable comeback. This was his first win since Oct. 3 versus the Flames. The 24-year-old netminder is 2-3-1 with a 3.35 GAA and a .900 save percentage across nine games (seven starts) this season. Merilainen is still a massively risky option in fantasy even if he's able to run with the starting job in Vancouver. The Canucks' next game is Thursday in San Jose.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Guarding goal in Anaheim
Merilainen will protect the road goal versus the Ducks on Tuesday, Canucks play-by-play announcer Brendan Batchelor reports.
Merilainen will start consecutive games for the first time in about two weeks. He'll get the nod despite having lost his last four outings with a total of 15 goals allowed in that span. The Ducks have won just one of their last six games, scoring 14 times during that stretch, so this could be a chance for Merilainen to return to the win column.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: No match for Wild
Merilainen allowed four goals on 34 shots in Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Wild.
Merilainen again had to make 30-plus saves, but the Canucks' late-arriving offense didn't pull off a comeback. The 24-year-old is down to 1-3-1 with a 3.13 GAA and a .912 save percentage over eight games. Those numbers tell two stories -- one, that he's doing generally well against a lot of traffic, and two, that he's not getting much help from his teammates. Such is life on a rebuilding team. Merilainen and Kevin Lankinen have alternated starts lately, and if that pattern holds, it would be Lankinen in goal in Anaheim on Tuesday while Merilainen would be tasked with slowing down Macklin Celebrini and the Sharks on Thursday.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Set to face Minnesota
Merilainen is expected to protect the home net against the Wild on Sunday, per Canucks play-by-play announcer Brendan Batchelor.
Merilainen is 0-2-1 in his last three starts, surrendering 11 goals on 120 shots over that span. In seven appearances this season, he has stopped 187 of 204 shots for a 1-2-1 record. Minnesota (7-3-2) ranks 16th in the league this campaign with 3.08 goals per game.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Humbled by defending champs
Merilainen stopped 38 of 43 shots in Tuesday's 6-3 loss to the Hurricanes. The sixth goal was an empty-netter.
Merilainen was under siege for much of the game as the Canucks got out-shot 44-17. It's the fourth outing in a row where Merilainen has faced more than 30 shots. That's likely to happen a lot behind a shaky and young defense. Merilainen is 1-2-1 with a 2.95 GAA and a .917 save percentage over seven outings this season. He's starting to gain an edge over Kevin Lankinen for playing time, but neither goalie is a reliable fantasy option in most formats. The Canucks are set to host the Red Wings on Thursday.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Set to face Hurricanes
Merilainen will guard the home crease in Tuesday's contest against the Hurricanes, per Canucks play-by-play announcer Brendan Batchelor.
After a three-outing stretch where he allowed just one goal, Merilainen has yielded three goals across each of his last three outings. Regardless, the 24-year-old netminder has far outplayed Kevin Lankinen in the 2026-27 campaign, which has led to the former securing the majority of opportunities between the pipes as of late. Overall, Merialinen holds a 1-1-1 record, a 2.51 GAA and a .925 save percentage across six appearances. He'll have his work cut out for him Tuesday against the defending champs, relegating Merilainen's fantasy value to being a spot start for fantasy managers in a pinch. If he can come out with the win Tuesday, Merilainen would be a priority waiver-wire addition for teams in all deep leagues.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Tough loss in south Florida
Merilainen made 36 saves in Thursday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Panthers.
The 24-year-old netminder took a shutout into the third period as the Canucks threatened a road upset, but Merilainen couldn't stop the red-hot Brady Tkachuk from striking twice in the final nine minutes of regulation, including the game-tying goal with just 13 seconds left on the clock. Tkachuk then finished his hat trick with a slick move into the slot in OT to create an open look on Merilainen. The former Ottawa goalie has started three of the last four games for Vancouver, stopping 102 of 111 shots (.919 save percentage) over that stretch, and on the season he's 1-1-1 in six appearances with a 2.51 GAA and .926 save percentage. Merilainen's strong play appears to be earning him an audition in the top spot on the depth chart ahead of the struggling Kevin Lankinen.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Starting against Florida
Merilainen was the first goalie off during Thursday's morning skate, Thomas Drance of The Athletic reports, indicating that he'll draw the road start against Florida.
Merilainen will draw a second consecutive start after he allowed three goals on 38 shots during a 3-2 regulation loss to the Islanders on the road Tuesday. He's appeared in five games to begin the regular season, going 1-1-0 with a 2.40 GAA and .927 save percentage.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Battles in narrow loss
Merilainen halted 33 of 36 shots on net in Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Islanders.
While the end result of Tuesday's contest didn't go his way, Merilainen continued to be a bright spot for the Canucks with his performance in net. He allowed just three goals against 36 shots on net, which helped Vancouver have a chance at winning throughout the entire contest. With Tuesday's contest in the books, the 24-year-old goalie now has a 1-1-0 record, a 2.40 GAA and a .926 save percentage across five appearances. He's proven to be the more-reliable option between the pipes for the Canucks compared to Kevin Lankinen, who has struggled mightily to open the 2026-27 campaign. If Merialinen's rise in production continues, he'll not only be on the fantasy radar in standard formats, but also one of the best waiver claims in recent memory. For now, he's a solid spot start in deep fantasy leagues with a bundle of upside.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Tending twine Tuesday
Merilainen will patrol the road paint in Tuesday's clash against the Islanders, per Thomas Drance of The Athletic.
Merilainen will return to action Tuesday after avoiding his first loss of the season in Saturday's clash, where he was off the ice having his skate repaired when Kevin Lankinen allowed the game-winning goal. Outside of Saturday's game, the 24-year-old Merilainen has fared well to begin the new season, where he has a 1-0-0 record, a 2.18 GAA and a .929 save percentage across four appearances. While the young netminder's fantasy stock is on the rise, he'll have to prove himself in a tough matchup with the Islanders on Tuesday. He's a spot start option for fantasy managers in a pinch, but he should be left on waivers for the time being in standard formats.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Busy day in New Jersey
Merilainen stopped 31 of 34 shots for the Canucks during a 4-1 loss to the Devils on Saturday.
The 24-year-old netminder managed to avoid having the loss go on his record -- Merilainen left the ice late in the first period to get his skate repaired, and Kevin Lankinen wound up allowing the game-winning goal during his brief relief stint. All three pucks that got past Merilainen came on Devil power plays, and he made a number of big saves just to keep the game as close as it was. Through four appearances (two starts) this season, he boasts a .929 save percentage, compared to Lankinen's woeful .783 mark in five outings (four starts). Lankinen should get the start for Sunday's road contest against the Rangers, but Merilainen is making a strong case to take over the larger share of the workload in the crease for Vancouver.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Guarding road goal
Merilainen is set to start on the road against the Devils on Saturday, per Mike Morreale of NHL.com.
Merilainen has a 1-0-0 record, 1.62 GAA and .941 save percentage across three appearances this season. That's in stark contrast to Vancouver's other goaltender, Kevin Lankinen, who is 1-3-0 with a 7.06 GAA and a .786 save percentage in four outings. With that in mind, there might be an opportunity here for Merilainen to earn a bigger share of Vancouver's starts. New Jersey has gotten off to a slow start offensively, averaging just 2.00 goals through three games.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Needed in relief again
Merilainen turned aside 15 of 16 shots after replacing Kevin Lankinen to begin the third period of Thursday's 7-2 loss to the Hurricanes.
It's already the second time this season that Lankinen has gotten an early hook, and Merilainen has looked sharp in a low-pressure relief situation. While Lankinen has faced the tougher assignments, the difference in their numbers so far couldn't be more stark -- Merilainen has won his only start while producing a 1.62 GAA and .941 save percentage in five periods of action, while Lankinen is 1-3-0 with a hideous 7.06 GAA and .786 save percentage. The Canucks play back-to-back games this weekend on the road against the Devils and Rangers as they continue an east coast swing, and if Merilainen outplays Lankinen once again, he could make a quick push to the top of the depth chart.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Keeps Flames under control
Merilainen stopped 23 of 24 shots in Saturday's 4-1 win over the Flames.
Getting away from the Oilers made things look a lot better for the Canucks. Merilainen presumably got the start as a reward for his decent relief performance versus Edmonton on Thursday. The 24-year-old netminder has allowed just two goals on 35 shots over his two appearances for the Canucks. He probably won't be that good in the long run, given the rebuilding team in front of him, but he could unseat Kevin Lankinen for the No. 1 job. It'll likely be Lankinen who gets the harder matchup of the weekend Sunday at home versus the Golden Knights.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Making first start with Canucks
Merilainen was the first goalie off the ice at Saturday's morning skate, indicating that he'll start the team's home matchup against the Flames, per Thomas Drance of The Athletic.
Merilainen is in line to make his first start for the Canucks after he was claimed off waivers from Ottawa in late September. The 24-year-old backstop made his Vancouver debut in Thursday's 9-7 loss, where he stopped 10 out of the 11 shots he saw in relief. He's looking to bounce back after a tough 2025-26 campaign, where he posted an 8-10-1 record, a 3.51 GAA and an .860 save percentage across 20 regular-season outings. He'll face off against a Calgary offense that was kept to just one score in their Opening Night matchup.
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Canucks' Leevi Merilainen: Makes team debut in relief appearance
Merilainen stopped 10 of 11 shots in relief of Kevin Lankinen in Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Oilers.
Merilainen did his part in the latter half of the game, almost allowing the Canucks to put together a comeback. Lankinen has struggled heavily to start the campaign, though it's tough to expect Merilainen to do any better behind a roster that will be outmatched most of the time. Both goalies should get a start this weekend since the Canucks will host the Flames on Saturday and the Golden Knights on Sunday.
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