Vancouver Canucks goalie prospect Arturs Silovs had an awful year at the NHL level, but sometimes all it takes is some time away and a reset to get going in the right direction again.
After a decent playoff run with the big club last year, the 24-year-old Latvian started the season with the Canucks in place of an injured Thatcher Demko. When all was said and done, though, Silovs finished the 2024-25 season with a 2-6-1 record in 10 games with a 3.65 GAA and .861 save percentage, with the latter being the second-worst mark in the league among goalies with at least 10 games played.
Silovs has been a bit of a different beast in the AHL since returning, and especially so in the Calder Cup playoffs. In 21 regular season games for Manny Malhotra's Abbotsford Canucks, Silovs went 14-5-2 despite a so-so .908 save percentage and 2.41 GAA.
Powering Abbotsford to the Western Conference Final, the former sixth-round pick has been unbelievable, amassing a 9-3-0 record, a 1.74 GAA, a .937 save percentage, and four shutouts to this point.
NHL teams value their playoff success greatly, which is why a player like Sam Bennett is being tipped to rake in $10 million annually, even though he's not really worth that and it's just become the popular thing to talk about.
The Canucks are not likely to be any different, especially considering Thatcher Demko's injury history and uncertain future and Kevin Lankinen's inconsistency in a featured role.
Therefore, we could very well see Silovs force his way onto the NHL roster to start next season, prompting Vancouver to follow through with the unusual three-goalie rotation. It won't be the worst thing, as the Canucks can still carry one extra forward and one extra defenceman within the roster limits.
It means a prospect defenceman, for example, who is on the fringes of the roster can instead earn regular playing time in Abbotsford while waiting for a crack at an NHL spot.
The Philadelphia Flyers did this last season with Sam Ersson, Ivan Fedotov, and Aleksei Kolosov in the wake of nagging injuries and inconsistent play, and the Canucks could reasonably do the same.
Silovs's finish to the season and training camp performances can help him earn an NHL role once again, so long as he earns it.