One issue that was pointed out, was the team's lack of a second goaltender to back up the team's all-star Thatcher Demko. Collin Delia had been taking care of these duties lately, but his contract is coming to an end this summer, and with the signing of Nikita Tolopilo he may not be getting an offer.
While Martin clearly showed that he could not get the job done in the NHL and still has a year remaining on his contract and Allvin confirmed that they would not be pursuing a goaltender in free agency. Allvin even added that if Silovs proves to be able to hold his own in the NHL, they would even consider having him challenge Demko as the team's backup:
This would definitely be a major step in Silovs' development since he has just completed his first season in the AHL. The 22-year-old started 44 games in Abbotsford this year managing a 0.909 save percentage along with a 2.44 goals-against average. His performance was good enough for him to be granted the team's MVP:
https://twitter.com/abbynews/status/1648067846646415361?s=46&t=mrdZLOv32VuJKdg1blZs0w
Silovs was given the opportunity to start off his NHL career, in 5 starts he managed a 3-2-0 record, a 0.908 save percentage, and a 2.75 goals-against average. Having Silovs up in the NHL for an entire season would surely have him start fewer games, which will bring up an important dilemma concerning his development, as he's previewed to be the team's future between the pipes.
