Kevin Lankinen Holds His Own As NHL's League Wide Save Percentage The Lowest It's Been In Almost 30 Years
The NHL's goaltenders are battling through an era of offensive dominance, and Vancouver's Kevin Lankinen is holding his own. Thrust into the starter's role due to Thatcher Demko's injury and Arturs Silovs' struggles, Lankinen has posted a .907 save percentage this season.
While that number might not seem earth-shattering, it places him in the top half of league "starters" in a season where the average save percentage has dipped to .900-the lowest since 1995-96.
So why is it so tough to stop pucks these days? The decline in save percentages isn't due to recent changes in equipment, which were adjusted in 2018-19. Instead, it reflects a game that's evolved dramatically in favor of offensive creativity and deception.
One of the key changes? A sharp increase in east-west puck movement, which forces goalies to make taxing lateral saves. Since the NHL's slashing crackdown in 2017-18, skilled players have more room to maneuver, leading to a 40% rise in east-west play over five seasons, according to data from former NHL goalie Steve Valiquette. This puck movement isn't just wearing goalies out-it's making their jobs harder by increasing unpredictability and creating scoring chances designed to exploit even the most minor defensive gaps.
Kevin Lankinen is facing these same challenges in Vancouver. The Canucks' defensive corps, dealing with injuries and inconsistencies, has allowed plenty of high-danger scoring chances. Across the league, teams are taking fewer low-percentage perimeter shots and instead focusing on creating prime opportunities through traffic and deceptive passing.
Power plays have also become deadlier. With power-play efficiency consistently north of 20% over the past eight seasons, teams are exploiting cross-checking crackdowns and using slick puck movement to overwhelm netminders.
Despite these hurdles, Lankinen's steady performance underscores his ability to adapt. His solid numbers reflect not only his technical skills but also his mental toughness-critical in an era where every shot is harder to track, and every save requires near-perfect positioning.
For now, enjoy the high-scoring chaos in today's NHL. But rest assured, goaltenders like Lankinen are learning, adapting, and preparing to swing the save percentage back in their favor.
