Prospect Info: 156th overall: Vancouver selects Arturs Silovs (Goalie, Latvia ---> Barrie Colts)

StreetHawk

Registered User
Sep 30, 2017
26,096
9,685
Unlikely for DeSmith to return. So, they likely need to go with one of the Abby goalies as the backup next season to save $1 mill vs the cap.

Ty Young is signed and will play in the AHL next season as the backup to whoever is still there.
 

VanJack

Registered User
Jul 11, 2014
21,252
14,429
Didn’t Demko put up a .922 in his final AHL season? Meanwhile his teammate(Bachman who I believe was considered to be a solid AHL goalie) had a much lower sv%

Silovs has a .907 and his teammate has a .905


I assume the avg AHL sv% is a bit lower now than back then but still I’d be very hesitant to compare Silovs AHL career to Demko’s.
If the career stats on 'Cap Friendly' mean anything, in Demko two-plus seasons with the Utica Comets, he posted at 2.68 GAA and a .907 save percentage in his first season. In his second season his save percentage was .922 but his GAA was still 2.44. In 2018-19 he made 15 starts in Utica and his save percentage was .911 ad his GAA 2.58.

Silovs best season was last year in Abbotsford where he posted a 2.44 GAA and a .909 save percentage. And his numbers have slipped a bit this season at 2.74 and .907. But you also argue that this year's version of the Abbotsford Canucks is a lot younger, and simply not as strong as a year ago.

And Demko's Utica Comets teams were a lot stronger imo. Because of a dearth of Canuck prospects on those teams, the Comets went with mainly a veteran AHL lineup and were harder to score on.

I realize that AHL-stats don't portend much at the NHL level. But I find it interesting that despite his rather ordinary AHL stats, Demko has always been regarded as the Canucks 'goalie of the future'. While Silovs, not so much.

Maybe that's more a reflection of their draft positions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lindgren

Tables of Stats

Registered User
Nov 1, 2011
4,496
4,293
Vancouver, BC
If the career stats on 'Cap Friendly' mean anything, in Demko two-plus seasons with the Utica Comets, he posted at 2.68 GAA and a .907 save percentage in his first season. In his second season his save percentage was .922 but his GAA was still 2.44. In 2018-19 he made 15 starts in Utica and his save percentage was .911 ad his GAA 2.58.

Silovs best season was last year in Abbotsford where he posted a 2.44 GAA and a .909 save percentage. And his numbers have slipped a bit this season at 2.74 and .907. But you also argue that this year's version of the Abbotsford Canucks is a lot younger, and simply not as strong as a year ago.

And Demko's Utica Comets teams were a lot stronger imo. Because of a dearth of Canuck prospects on those teams, the Comets went with mainly a veteran AHL lineup and were harder to score on.

I realize that AHL-stats don't portend much at the NHL level. But I find it interesting that despite his rather ordinary AHL stats, Demko has always been regarded as the Canucks 'goalie of the future'. While Silovs, not so much.

Maybe that's more a reflection of their draft positions.
My guess is that this has to do with Silovs being very up and down. He'll have a great stretch for a month or two and then cool off and look a bit lost in the net for a while. His average level is fine but he lacks that consistency that people want from a 1A goalie.
 

Blue and Green

Out to lunch
Dec 17, 2017
3,439
3,417
If the career stats on 'Cap Friendly' mean anything, in Demko two-plus seasons with the Utica Comets, he posted at 2.68 GAA and a .907 save percentage in his first season. In his second season his save percentage was .922 but his GAA was still 2.44. In 2018-19 he made 15 starts in Utica and his save percentage was .911 ad his GAA 2.58.

Silovs best season was last year in Abbotsford where he posted a 2.44 GAA and a .909 save percentage. And his numbers have slipped a bit this season at 2.74 and .907. But you also argue that this year's version of the Abbotsford Canucks is a lot younger, and simply not as strong as a year ago.

And Demko's Utica Comets teams were a lot stronger imo. Because of a dearth of Canuck prospects on those teams, the Comets went with mainly a veteran AHL lineup and were harder to score on.

I realize that AHL-stats don't portend much at the NHL level. But I find it interesting that despite his rather ordinary AHL stats, Demko has always been regarded as the Canucks 'goalie of the future'. While Silovs, not so much.

Maybe that's more a reflection of their draft positions.
Actually, the goals-against averages of Demko's teams in Utica and Silovs' teams in Abbotsford were quite similar. And there was nothing "ordinary" about Demko's .922 in his second season in Utica.

Demko was always considered to be a high-end goalie prospect. Silovs is a fairly typical guy-with-a-chance prospect who would do well to have a useful career as a #2 in the NHL.
 

VanJack

Registered User
Jul 11, 2014
21,252
14,429
My guess is that this has to do with Silovs being very up and down. He'll have a great stretch for a month or two and then cool off and look a bit lost in the net for a while. His average level is fine but he lacks that consistency that people want from a 1A goalie.
These are valid points. The issue with Silovs has been 'consistently'......when he plays like he did at last spring's World Hockey Championships, he can be a dominant goalie. Voted the tournament's MVP.

But he can also struggle at times......which often is more a reflection of the team in front of him. But it's something he needs to work on to become a No. 1 goaltender.

But he's got time. Silovs turns 23 in a week, which is still very young for a pro goaltender. I think he has a serious shot at being the backup in Vancouver next season.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tables of Stats

F A N

Registered User
Aug 12, 2005
18,714
5,952
Unlikely for DeSmith to return. So, they likely need to go with one of the Abby goalies as the backup next season to save $1 mill vs the cap.

Ty Young is signed and will play in the AHL next season as the backup to whoever is still there.

If the Canucks are interested in bringing DeSmith back, there should be a decent chance that he returns. The guy is currently sporting a .899 SV% and wasn’t good the previous season.
 

SeawaterOnIce

Bald is back in style.
Sponsor
Aug 28, 2011
15,886
19,053
I want this guy to pay homage to our best Latvian goaltender to date.

m-p02sa31-43p-color-irbe.jpg
 

F A N

Registered User
Aug 12, 2005
18,714
5,952
This is largely because of one game

That's fair but even without that game his numbers aren't particularly stellar.

Look, I think he's been good overall but he was also better for us in 2023. He's going to be handed the puck to run with it for the next 2 weeks or so we'll find out how he does.

My main point is that if the Canucks are interested in bringing him back he has a good chance of returning. I don't think he is seen as a 1B type around the league. Those types tend to get ~$2M AAV -/-. DeSmith lacks history as an average to above average #1 starter. Like a Jake Allen type is one year older but has played in 263 more games not including playoffs. DeSmith is hardly a "veteran presence" despite the fact he will be turning 33 next season.

Of course it takes one team to really like the player, but just with the way the market for goalies is, I think DeSmith is going to end up with a paycut this summer. At $1.8M AAV, he was more of a salary dump than an asset at the start of this season and I don't think the perception has changed.

I think DeSmith is definitely in the camp of a good backup so a guy that should command more than $1M. And obviously if playing opportunity is the priority there are better opportunities elsewhere. I personally would offer him a 2 year deal at say $1.2M AAV to get it done. If Silvos wants the job he can beat DeSmith out of one.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: PuckMunchkin

VanJack

Registered User
Jul 11, 2014
21,252
14,429
This is a definite 'opportunity' for Silovs, who's clearly auditioning for a backup role in Vancouver next season.

DeSmith is one of 10 Canuck UFA's, and I'd say a lot of them probably won't be back for cap reasons. The Canucks will need Silovs to play, if only because of his 'cap friendly' contract.
 

Jay26

Registered User
Jul 13, 2022
2,354
2,932
Kamloops
Give this mofo a shot.
Agreed. I think with DeSmith he is what he is. There's no other gear for him to surprise us with.

Silovs is at least a wild card. He could step up big after what he showed at the Worlds last year. The only way we win with DeSmith is if the offense figures it out fast and lights it up every game
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zippgunn

CRDragon

[̲̅$̲̅(̲̅ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°̲̅)̲̅$̲̅]
Dec 2, 2006
7,361
712
Vancouver
DeSmith should play tonight for morale reasons. IF you play Silovs and he bombs it, it'll be hard to get DeSmith back in. Canucks should have won game 2 and we wouldn't really talk about which goalie to play if we had won. If DeSmith loses game 3 and has another tough game, then I would go with Silovs for game 4.
 

Zippgunn

Registered User
May 15, 2011
3,951
1,648
Lhuntshi
DeSmith should play tonight for morale reasons. IF you play Silovs and he bombs it, it'll be hard to get DeSmith back in. Canucks should have won game 2 and we wouldn't really talk about which goalie to play if we had won. If DeSmith loses game 3 and has another tough game, then I would go with Silovs for game 4.
DeSmith had an .800 game, he was lousy.
 

Jyrki21

2021-12-05
Sponsor
Agreed. I think with DeSmith he is what he is. There's no other gear for him to surprise us with.

Silovs is at least a wild card. He could step up big after what he showed at the Worlds last year. The only way we win with DeSmith is if the offense figures it out fast and lights it up every game
I mean, DeSmith was also one of the main goalkeepers in that tournament, and put up a 1.95, .918 in 7 games to Silovs's 2.20/.921 in 10 games. Not a huge difference. It was a cool story for underdog Latvia, but I don't know you can read that much into it.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad