Arturs Silovs' AHL MVP play makes him a Canucks trade chip
Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin made it quite clear this week: he'd like to sign Thatcher Demko to a contract extension.
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'It's been a really good conversation with Thatcher and his agent, and we'll see here over the next couple of days or weeks, if we can get something in place,' Allvin said when asked about his plan for the goalie, who is eligible to sign an extension beginning next week.
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And with Kevin Lankinen already under contract, re-upping with Demko would set in stone the Canucks' plan in net for the foreseeable future, even if there are lingering doubts about Demko's long-term health. The Canucks' No. 1 goalie has dealt with substantial injuries in each of the past three seasons and was indeed limited to just 23 games this past campaign.
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If Demko extends, that's surely writing on the wall for Arturs Silovs, even if the jovial Latvian is coming off yet another spring where he's been a big part of the story.
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In the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, he was thrust into the spotlight after Demko damaged the popliteus muscle in his left knee in the first game versus Nashville, and then Casey DeSmith was hurt two games later. Silovs became something of a cult figure, helping his team push the Edmonton Oilers to the seventh game of the second round.
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This past season was a struggle in the NHL for Silovs, but after returning to Abbotsford late in the season, he finally found his groove again in the playoffs. He put on a glittering show, stopping 93.1 per cent of the shots he faced and posting five shutouts while backstopping Abbotsford to the Calder Cup championship.
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He was named the playoff MVP for his work.
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No doubt that kind of play does draw the attention of other teams.
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'It was a hell of a performance,' Allvin replied when asked whether Silovs had changed the story of his future in Vancouver. 'I'm happy for Artie. We know that he is a really good goalie, and this is justifying that.'
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'That being said, we still got a couple of good goalies in the system here, with (Nikita) Tolopilo and Ty Young, that are more than ready to play as well. So we'll see over the next couple of days, where things goes here with Thatcher. We can make decisions after that.'
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