Canucks Underneath The Microscope: Arturs Silovs is a world star

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We’re trying again on the 2022-23 Vancouver Canucks with a spotlight at this time on Arturs Silovs. Within the coming weeks, we’ll break down the season and try how participant conditions venture going into 2023-24.

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Arturs Silovs

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Age: 22

Place: Goalie

Profession stats: GP: 5, Report: 3-2-0, GAA: 2.75, SV Pct.: .908

Contract standing: Remaining yr of a three-year entry stage deal that has a cap hit of $786,111. Can be a restricted free agent subsequent summer season.

How 2022-23 went: Ascendant

The desk was well-set coming into the 2022-23 season for Arturs Silovs to take his recreation to a brand new stage. Earlier goalie of the long run Michael DiPietro had been forged apart, leaving Silovs as one among two goalies for AHL Abbotsford.

However being named World Championships MVP? Nobody would have had that within the script.

And but that’s how the 22-year-old Latvian’s season ended, with him being honoured after main his group to a best-ever, third-place end — and salutatory chants breaking out within the streets of Riga.

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Coming into this season, Silovs’ activity was clear — benefit from nevertheless many begins he was handed as a part of a two-goalie tandem with veteran Collin Delia.

With Delia needing a while to re-set himself into the Ian Clark technique of goaltending, Silovs bought an early run of begins this season, the sort of load he hadn’t confronted since earlier than the pandemic started.

Silovs completed this season on a excessive — enjoying effectively within the second half for Abbotsford, being named group MVP, then kicking his recreation up one other notch on the World Championships, serving to Latvia end a best-ever third — however his early going was poor.

He struggled for consistency via the primary six weeks of the season, which in one other season may need meant that he would lose begins to his veteran crease accomplice, however then Delia was referred to as as much as the NHL in early December to fill in for the injured Thatcher Demko.

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Handed one other probability to go on a run of begins, Silovs lastly discovered his groove.

Within the AHL, Silovs’s end-of-season numbers have been stable — a 90.9 save share and a 23-15-9 document. However given seven of his first 11 begins on the season noticed him submit a save share decrease than 90, this end-of-season save share belies a reality: his second half was sensational.

He was an enormous motive why the AHL Canucks have been on a excessive heading into the Calder Cup playoffs — he gained 10 of his last 14 begins on the yr.

That good run was damaged up by a handful of NHL begins, the place he carried out capably, every begin higher than the one earlier than. He made 5 NHL begins in all, successful three.

After which there’s his play on the worldwide stage. The World Championships isn’t a best-on-best event, but it surely’s nonetheless the next general high quality of shooters than he faces within the AHL, and he rose to the problem.

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Latvia’s earlier finest end at a world championship was seventh. This yr, enjoying at dwelling in Riga, the Latvians channeled the vitality of their passionate followers.

Silovs made 10 begins for his nationwide group over the previous three weeks, stopping 92.1 per cent of the photographs towards him.

His standout efficiency noticed him named the event’s MVP.

How the long run appears: NHL backup

Silovs is most probably to begin subsequent season because the group’s major goalie within the AHL. He’s nonetheless higher off enjoying greater than sitting on the bench, and within the NHL, he’d be on the bench greater than enjoying.

However there’s little doubt that if Spencer Martin have been to falter once more as Demko’s backup, the Canucks might be comfy bringing Silovs in once more.

The opposite factor to think about: What if Silovs takes himself up one other prospect stage, from pretty-good AHL goalie to AHL-leading goalie, the subsequent Dustin Wolf? Does he turn into a commerce chip? Or may his play venture effectively sufficient that the Canucks might even think about dealing Demko, changing him with Silovs and his extra environment friendly contract?

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The final appears unlikely, however in a cap world that’s the sort of considering groups can now not keep away from.

A method or one other, it is a massive yr for Silovs’ NHL potential.

Best strengths: Calm manner, potential to study from his errors.

Best weak point: Consistency. He struggled within the first half final season, so can he be the star goalie he was within the second half for the entire 2023-24 season?

Is he commerce bait?: Not proper now, no. But when his star continues to ascend, as recommended the Canucks might discover themselves in a spot to have some frank discussions.

The massive query: Abbotsford or Vancouver? It does appear virtually sure he’ll land in Abbotsford to begin subsequent yr.

Extra from Canucks beneath the Microscope collection:

• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Elias Pettersson
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Nils Hoglander
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Phil Di Giuseppe
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Sheldon Dries
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Vitali Kravtsov
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Andrei Kuzmenko
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Vasily Podkolzin
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Kyle Burroughs
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: J.T. Miller
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Brock Boeser
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Jack Studnicka
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Quinn Hughes
• Canucks Underneath The Microscope: Nils Aman
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Anthony Beauvillier
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Dakota Joshua
• Canucks Underneath the Microscope: Conor Garland

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