Canucks emergency goalie recall: Why Aku Koskenvuo is practicing in Vancouver right now
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Daniel Lucente
Feb 17, 2026 (4:48 PM)
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Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Aku Koskenvuo’s emergency recall had Vancouver Canucks fans sweating, with Kevin Lankinen at the Winter Olympics and the crease suddenly thin.
General manager Patrik Allvin pulled the trigger Tuesday, bringing the goalie up from Abbotsford under emergency conditions.
This is not a “new No. 1” moment. It’s a “we need a body at practice” moment.
Koskenvuo will skate with the NHL group while Lankinen represents Finland at Milano Cortina 2026. It isn't due to injury, so fans can now take a deep breath.
That matters because practice reps are currency, especially when the schedule stays nasty.
Koskenvuo is 22, drafted in 2021, fifth round, by the Vancouver Canucks.
He is a big-framed goalie at 6-foot-4, and he’s still very much a project.
The Canucks signed him to a two-year entry-level contract after his Harvard run, and now the organization gets a close-up look.
Aku Koskenvuo forces Vancouver Canucks to improvise
Honestly, this fanbase has lived too many goalie scrambles lately to feel calm about “emergency” anything.
The key detail is “practice with the Canucks,” not “start next game.”
Emergency conditions usually mean short-term coverage, and the club can paper this over once Lankinen returns.
Still, having Koskenvuo around can help the whole room, especially with shot volume and pace in drills.
For the skaters, it keeps practice honest, and for the goalie coaches, it’s a quick check on technique under NHL traffic.
If anything flares up between the pipes, this recall becomes more than a footnote fast.
Until then, it’s about stability, routine, and getting through the Olympic gap without a surprise.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 17|124 ANSWERS Canucks emergency goalie recall: Why Aku Koskenvuo is practicing in Vancouver right now Should Aku Koskenvuo stay with the Vancouver Canucks even after the Olympics? | ||
| Yes | 81 | 65.3 % |
| No | 43 | 34.7 % |
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