Vancouver Canucks sign goaltending prospect Nikita Tolopilo

The Vancouver Canucks have signed goaltending prospect Nikita Tolopilo to a two-year, entry-level contract on Friday.

The deal will kick in for 2023-24 and will have an AAV of $950,000.

Tolopilo will join the Canucks after a two-year spell with Sodertalje SK of the second-tier Swedish league. He finished the season with a 28-17-0 record with four shutouts and a .924 save percentage, and was great during the team’s short playoff run. In his first year with the club in 2021-22, he had an 11-21-0 record for a team that struggled, but he was strong in the relegation round and kept the team alive.

Born in Belarus, Tolopilo spent his early days in the national team system, representing the U-18 and U-20 team in various events. He also served as the third goalie for Dinamo Minsk’s KHL effort for two year, recording a 2-5-0 record through nine games.

The 22-year-old has excellent size, standing tall at 6-foot-6 and 229 pounds. While the stats might not scream out as anything too outstanding, Tolopilo has faced quite a few shots over they years and tends to play better in tight, high-pressure situations. Mix in his size, and Tolopilo could end up being something for the Canucks down the line.

According to CapFriendly, the Canucks currently have four goaltenders under contract for next season. Thatcher Demko holds a $5 million cap hit until 2026, while Spencer Martin and Arturs Silovs have another year each on their deals. Tolopilo could split time between the AHL and ECHL next year before potentially taking a more prominent role if things work out for 2024-25.