Arturs Silovs Officially Making It A Complicated Situation For the Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Canucks prospect Arturs Silovs didn't have the greatest time in the National Hockey League this season, putting up a 3.65 goals against average and an .861 save percentage in ten games, but down in the American Hockey League, the Latvian netminder has been lights out.

Silovs has led the Abbotsford Canucks to the Western Conference Final, recording four shutouts along the way and his play this spring is going to force Patrik Allvin's hand this summer.

There's no question that the Vancouver Canucks are going to need to make some changes this summer to avoid missing out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a fourth time in the last five seasons, with President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford promising to fans that they'll be aggressive.

Vancouver definitely needs to add a second line centerman and with Silovs' strong play this spring proving that he's ready to make the jump to the NHL, it could make could make Thatcher Demko expendable, with one year remaining on the American's contract.

Demko has dealt with injury issues over the last 12 months, limiting him to just 23 games during the 2024-25 campaign and while the team is confident he'll bounce back and form a solid tandem with Kevin Lankinen, who signed a long-term extension back in February, Patrik Allvin could use him as a trade chip to bring in that second line centerman they covet.

With reports suggesting they could trade their first round pick, if Patrik Allvin packages that selection with Thatcher Demko, he could end up landing some much needed help down the middle, perhaps even someone like Marco Rossi of the Minnesota Wild or Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks.

Trading Thatcher Demko this summer is far from guaranteed, but it would open up a roster spot for Arturs Silovs, who is more than ready for a full-time role in the NHL after three straight years of success in the spring following an MVP performance at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, staring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2024 and this year with Abbotsford.

In 12 playoff games with Abbotsford, the Riga native has a 8-3 record along with a 1.73 goals against average, a .936 save percentage and four shutouts.