Artūrs Šilovs has returned to the Vancouver Canucks for now. There was some talk about whether Nikita Tolopilo or Zach Sawchenko could get the call, but why?
Second Time Lucky for Artūrs Šilovs
Šilovs certainly wasn’t the most fêted goalie prospect in the Canucks pipeline. When he was taken in the 2019 entry draft, Michael DiPietro had already been pressed into service for one NHL game. That was a disastrous showing, but it tells you who they thought would be in Vancouver. The OHL goaltender was tearing up the league, and the Canucks were desperate.
Šilovs, on the other hand, was putting up reasonable numbers playing for Riga in the Latvian league and the MHL. That was enough to get Vancouver’s attention, and they used one of their three sixth-round picks on him. The next season, the Barrie Colts would have made the playoffs, but it was shortened by the COVID pandemic.
Like many players his age, the pandemic is a recurring theme through important development time. Even so, the 36 games he played were unexceptional. Šilovs split time with Jet Greaves and had a modest 3.87 goals against and an .891 save percentage. Bearing in mind he was adjusting to life in North America as well and it was a reasonable if inauspicious start.
Goal-Oriented Goalie
Watching Artūrs Šilovs keep focus through a chaotic 2019-20 season, even as leagues and governments were trying to navigate COVID, did as much as anything else to cement him in the minds of the Canucks brass. With Europe opening their leagues sooner, he played for local teams until North America started up again. He did finally get one professional game with the Manitoba Moose that season.
The next year was a big one. The Canucks were determined not to repeat their comedy of errors that led to an unprepared DiPietro playing in the NHL. There were veterans lined up deep in the system, pushing Šilovs to Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL. A Thatcher Demko injury and the shockingly good play of Spencer Martin got him up to the AHL. The later trade of DiPietro kept him there.
He did fine in Abbotsford, keeping his job there as the team struggled. A much bigger stage let him shine as he blew NHL veteran Elvis Merzlikins off the ice. Šilovs put up the best save percentage in the 2022 World Cup tournament, with a .952 save percentage over four games. Latvia didn’t make the playoffs that year, but not because of him.
The next year, Šilovs and the Latvians won bronze over the United States. It was Latvia’s first medal at the World Cup, and Šilovs was their first tournament MVP.
This Time It’s Personal
It is perhaps ironic that the goalie Artūrs Šilovs is now backing up, Casey DeSmith, is the one he beat to win bronze. With DeSmith on an expiring deal and Šilovs a restricted free agent come July, the two are competing once again.
The competition isn’t just at the NHL level for Šilovs, though. The undrafted Tolopilo has similar numbers to Šilovs in just eight fewer games. The two are essentially splitting the net in Abbotsford, and this is a chance for Tolopilo to establish himself. Vancouver’s third option, Sawchenko, has yet to play for Abbotsford, but he’s been there since July.
Given that the schedule for Vancouver is light right now – eight games in three weeks – Sawchenko could have been the call. After all, he is waiting on the bench now, he can do that just as well in Vancouver. Plus he has some NHL experience, playing seven games with the San Jose Sharks in 2021-22.
That’s not an unreasonable suggestion. DeSmith can play all eight of the upcoming games without any back-to-backs. Tolopilo and Šilovs would continue to get their reps in with Abbotsford. Everybody wins!
The Canucks are taking a different view, knowing that both Šilovs and Tolopilo can have a future in their system. Tolopilo now has this chance to show he can be the starter without a safety net. Šilovs can not only get practice with “goalie whisperer” Ian Clark but possibly a game or two as well. Sawchenko also gets an opportunity to be something more than a “good team guy.”
While the Vancouver Canucks are safely in the playoffs, a fight for their goaltending future is about to start.
Main Photo: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
