Canucks Reportedly Forced to Trade Top Goalie Prospect Arturs Silovs Following Jim Rutherford's Comments
Unless something dramatically changes with the Vancouver Canucks before the start of the 2025-26 season, the team is going to be forced to move on from promising goaltending prospect Arturs Silovs.
With the Vancouver Canucks getting ahead and extending often-injured star goaltender Thatcher Demko to an absolutely massive contract, just a few months after extending Kevin Lankinen, the writing is on the wall for Silovs.
Crowded goalie room needs a solution
For the first time in his young NHL career, Arturs Silovs will require waivers to be sent to the AHL Abbotsford Canucks, the team who he recently carried to the Calder Cup Finals, winning AHL Playoffs MVP in the process despite losing in the finals.
One year prior to that, Silovs was a revelation in the NHL playoffs for the Canucks, helping Vancouver overtake the Nashville Predators after an injury to Thatcher Demko and standing on his head on several occasions against the Edmonton Oilers to push the eventual Western Conference Champions to a Game 7.
The 24 year old is one of the most NHL ready goalie prospects league wide, and the chances that he could slip through waivers without a claim are close to zero.
President Jim Rutherford did not mince words about the situation, saying that in all likelihood - Silovs future in the NHL is not with Vancouver.
We have some very, very good young goalies coming. Right now in our development camp, we've got Young and we've got Medvedev; those two guys are going to be very good NHL goalies someday.
We've got things lined up here. Our plan going forward, right now, is to go with Demko and Lankinen. As well as Silovs played, he could be the odd guy out.
He's not waiver exempt anymore. So, we're going to have to deal with that here in the offseason, but we feel very fortunate where we are with goaltenders.
We've got things lined up here. Our plan going forward, right now, is to go with Demko and Lankinen. As well as Silovs played, he could be the odd guy out.
He's not waiver exempt anymore. So, we're going to have to deal with that here in the offseason, but we feel very fortunate where we are with goaltenders.
While it will be a shame to lose a talented homegrown prospect, the Canucks' goaltending depth is a strength, and could help to address the many needs of the team as they seek a return to the playoffs.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
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JUILLET 12 | 3441 ANSWERS Canucks Reportedly Forced to Trade Top Goalie Prospect Arturs Silovs Following Jim Rutherford's Comments Is trading Arturs Silovs instead of an older goaltender the right call for the Vancouver Canucks? | ||
| Yes | 1304 | 37.9 % |
| No | 2137 | 62.1 % |
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