Ahead of Friday night's game against the Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced that star center Elias Pettersson has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 23, 2024, and goalie Arturs Silovs was recalled from the AHL Abbotsford Canucks on an emergency basis.
Silovs, 23, last played for the Canucks on Nov. 27, allowing five goals on 23 shots in a 5-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Silovs has started six games in total for the Canucks this season, posting a 1-4-1 record in seven appearances along with a 4.11 GAA and .847 save percentage.
The Latvian rookie returns as the result of the Thatcher Demko injury that occurred in the 4-3 shootout win over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night. Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet relayed to media that Demko was dealing with back spasms, though it is clear that the 29-year-old is not feeling well enough to back up Kevin Lankinen against the Predators on Friday night.
As for Pettersson, being placed on injured reserve retroactively allows him to return to the team sooner than if he had not. One week has already passed since Dec. 23, so Pettersson can be activated by the Canucks as soon as he is ready to play again.
Additionally, by placing Pettersson on injured reserve, the Canucks have created an additional roster spot. It is worth noting that, because Silovs is with the Canucks on an emergency basis, he does not require a roster spot and does not count against the salary cap. This will allow the Canucks to make Silovs a regular recall if Demko is to be out more than a few games.