Arturs Silovs returns to Canucks and patiently waits for his next chance

On Sunday morning, Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced that Artūrs Šilovs had been assigned to Abbotsford in the AHL, while Ty Young was called up to the NHL for the first time. The initial reaction of a lot of people, was one of surprise.

However, as we wrote at the time, it was suggested this assignment was linked to Šilovs starting on Sunday afternoon in Abbotsford against the Bakersfield Condors. Further, that this move was a short-term one, designed to give him the opportunity to get some extended playing time in net.

This did indeed turn out to be the case, as the 23-year-old played against the Condors, and did well in stopping 23 of the 25 shots he faced in a 4-2 win. Then, he was recalled by the Canucks on Monday, with Young being assigned back to Abbotsford.

Regardless, that it even happened in the first place, alludes to Šilovs having reached a crucial point in his Canucks career. The reality is that he's been a disappointment so far in 2024-25, failing to build on -- or even perform at a similar level to -- his play during last season's playoffs.

A poor showing right from the word go

Given the nod on opening night versus the Calgary Flames, Šilovs looked bad right out of the gate, highlighted by his continuing issues dealing with long-range shots. By the end of October he had lost all three of his starts, in the process producing a terrible .797 save percentage and 5.00 Goals Against Average.

With Kevin Lankinen having stated nine of the past 10 games, it's clear Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has more confidence in him. At the same time, this doesn't mean all hope is lost with Šilovs, who still has the upside to turn into an excellent long-term answer in Vancouver, whether it be as a number one or (more likely), one of the better backups in the NHL.

As such, it was important for the Latvia native to get some extended action between the pipes, as he did on Sunday in Abbotsford. Speaking to the media on Monday, he said:

"I hadn’t played in awhile so it boosted my confidence. ... The games (in the AHL) are chaotic, it's like more of a battle. Technique is one thing, but there's unexpected rebounds, there's unexpected turnovers, it makes your awareness better and you get sharper."

Reality begins to hit for Silovs

In a lot of ways, the assignment in Abbotsford was a wake-up call for Šilovs, with members of the media making note of his more serious demeanour on Monday. The question is, will he actually take the necessary steps and be able to improve his game?

For what it's worth, the 2019 sixth round draft pick certainly sounds like someone who is focused and ready to do whatever it takes, to be better. He said:

"You just grind through. You practise every single day, do your best and just wait for your chance."

It will be interesting to see when Šilovs does get his next opportunity to play, but the chances are it will be very soon. Worst-case scenario it should be this coming weekend, as the Canucks have back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday night, at home to the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators respectively.

Whenever he does next play, it's now time for Šilovs to start proving himself, with Thatcher Demko due back soon. Because as things stand, it will be Lankinen remaining in Vancouver, due to playing (much) better and not being waiver-exempt like his younger teammate.

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