With a 4-2-3 record to begin the 2024-25 season, the Canucks are not hitting on all cylinders yet. There's several players who've disappointed so far, including the likes of Elias Pettersson, Vincent Desharnais and Carson Soucy.
However, 'arguably' the biggest disappointment of all, is Artūrs Šilovs. (We can entirely appreciate anyone putting this mantle onto the shoulders of Pettersson.) He's looked little like the player who performed so well during last season's playoffs.
Šilovs has started three games so far in 2024-25, and is winless with a 0-2-1 record. In the process, he was produced a .797 save percentage and 5.00 Goals Against Average (GAA).
A lack of faith from the head coach
There will be those who point out that three games is too small of a sample to draw any conclusions on the 23-year-old. In theory this is correct, but it's because he's been so bad so far that he's been limited to three starts, with Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet having more confidence in Kevin Lankinen.
Things had started out so well in the season opener, as the Canucks held a 4-1 lead after 20 minutes. However, Šilovs' ongoing issue of dealing with long-range shots was painfully evident to anyone who watched the game.
As a result, when it was all said and done the Canucks had lost 6-5 in overtime. In the process, their young goalie set single-game personal worsts of six goals allowed and a .769 save percentage.
In fairness, Šilovs did show some improvement in his next start against the Tampa Bay Lightning, with him only at blame for one goal. When it was all said and done though, he'd still allowed three goals on 27 shots and the Canucks ultimately lost 4-1 on the road.
Lankinen the clear number one at this stage
Following that game, Tocchet turned to Lankinen for the next five games, meaning Šilovs had to remain patient for his next start. When it came however, against the New Jersey Devils, it was a complete disaster for him.
The Latvia native again allowed six goals but this time had an even worse save percentage at ,727, as the Canuuks were embarrassed 6-0 at home. Tocchet called it the worst defensive performance he'd seen since taking over in Vancouver and while this was directed at the team as a collective, it still reflected badly on the goalie.
So much more was expected of Šilovs in the 2024-25 campaign, as per the aforementioned reference to his play between the pipes during last season's playoffs. These expectations only grew, following a tremendous training camp and preseason.
In this respect, we're still dealing with the same goalie who has size, athleticism and intriguing upside. However, none of these aspects are worth a damn, if you don't actually produce when you're between the pipes.
Overall, the point is that Šilovs needs to return to playing better sooner than later, especially with Thatcher Demko making encouraging progress with his recovery. Unlike Lankinen he's waiver exempt, which would make it (even) easier for the Canucks to assign him to Abbotsford when Demko does finally return.