Vancouver’s goalie picture is crowded, and Nikita Tolopilo sits at the center of the pressure. He is no longer just depth; he is the name that could force the Canucks to make a real decision.
A Season That Made the Choice Harder
Tolopilo’s 2025-26 year was split between the AHL and NHL, and that split told the whole story. He bounced between leagues, picked up game reps wherever he could, and showed enough to stay in the conversation even when the results were uneven.
The raw numbers were not flattering:
- AHL: 3.07 goals-against average and .897 save percentage
- NHL: 3.61 goals-against average and .881 save percentage
- Starts with three or more goals allowed: 14
Those figures show a goalie still trying to find stable ground. They also show a player who kept getting chances because Vancouver saw enough upside to keep testing him.
The Best Stretch on His Resume
The most useful part of Tolopilo’s season came during a short run in late January. He earned three straight starts, allowed only four goals across them, and gave the Canucks a few nights when the crease looked far calmer than usual.
One game stood out more than the rest. He stopped 32 shots in a 2-0 win and appeared headed for a shutout, only for a concussion protocol delay to force a goalie change and strip him of the individual credit.
He followed that with a strong performance against Toronto on Jan. 31, turning aside 39 shots in a shootout loss and even denying Auston Matthews on a penalty shot in overtime. That kind of moment matters because it shows he can survive against elite shooters.
The back half of the year was less steady. After another AHL stretch, he returned to Vancouver for good and handled 11 more games down the stretch. One late-season win over Anaheim closed his year on a brighter note, but the consistency never fully arrived.
What the Canucks Are Really Deciding
The organization has three goalies who all need ice time, and that is not a sustainable setup for long. Vancouver has to choose between present comfort and future fit.
- Trade Tolopilo: the cleanest answer if another team wants a goalie with NHL experience and room to grow.
- Keep all three: possible, but awkward, because somebody would be short on starts and somebody else would be wasting a roster spot.
- Move a veteran instead: the least likely path, but the one that makes the most sense if the club wants a younger timeline.
That last option stays on the board because Tolopilo is 26 and fits a rebuild better than the older names ahead of him. He also lines up better with Vancouver’s long-term picture than a goalie room built around short-term stability.
What He Must Show in Camp
Training camp matters more for Tolopilo than for almost anyone else in the room. He does not need to win the job by September, but he does need to prove he should not be the odd man out.
His checklist is straightforward:
- Arrive ready to handle NHL pace from the first day
- Take advantage of every exhibition start
- Show enough consistency to raise trade value if Vancouver moves him
- Stay dependable if the club decides to carry three goalies temporarily
A strong camp could push the Canucks toward action. It could also make Tolopilo more attractive on the market, which may be the simplest path to a larger role elsewhere.
What 2026-27 Could Look Like
The projection depends entirely on where he opens the season.
If he stays in Vancouver, he likely settles into a shared workload and lands somewhere around 30 to 35 starts. That would keep him in the NHL conversation, but it would also leave little room for growth unless the team’s defensive structure improves.
If he gets traded, the role changes immediately. A team looking for a 1A/1B setup would probably give him more responsibility, and 40-plus starts would not be out of the question.
What should not happen is a return to the AHL as the long-term plan. Vancouver is past the point of treating him like hidden depth. He either helps the NHL club or becomes part of a deal that opens space for someone else.
The Short Version
Tolopilo is not the safest goalie on the roster, but he may be the most movable piece. His age, NHL exposure, and fit with Vancouver’s timeline make him a real factor in how the crease is built for the next few seasons.
That is why September matters. In a crowded goalie room, the player with the most to gain often becomes the one the organization cannot ignore.