The Vancouver Canucks have claimed goaltender Leevi Merilainen off waivers from the Ottawa Senators.
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The Vancouver Canucks have acquired goaltender Leevi Merilainen by claiming him off waivers from the Ottawa Senators, adding a 24-year-old netminder to their organization.
Merilainen appeared in 20 games for Ottawa last season, posting an 8-10-1 record with a 3.51 goals-against average and an .860 save percentage. His 2025-26 workload came after he established himself as an NHL option within Ottawa’s system.
The Canucks are expected to begin the season without star goalie Thatcher Demko, who underwent season-ending hip surgery in January. With Demko unavailable, Vancouver’s decision to add Merilainen is positioned as additional support for its goaltending group.
Standing 6-foot-3 and listed at 183 pounds, Merilainen has played in 34 NHL games in his career, all with the Senators. Across that span, he has recorded a 16-14-3 record, a 3.00 goals-against average and an .885 save percentage, along with three shutouts.
Ottawa originally selected Merilainen in the third round, 71st overall, in 2020. The claim gives Vancouver a goaltending piece developed in an NHL role with Ottawa, and it underscores how teams are filling needs across the depth chart as the new season approaches.
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