Recently, we launched our 2024 midterm Vancouver Canucks prospect rankings, and today, we’re continuing those rankings.

Position: Goaltender
Catches: Left
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 216-pounds

With his 23rd birthday just weeks away, we are sending Latvian netminder Arturs Silovs onto our prospect rankings list with a bang, holding down the number-five spot for a consecutive year.

It’s been an impressive journey for the Canucks’ 2020 sixth-round pick.

Last year, he saw a significant increase in starts, jumping from 10 to 44, firmly establishing himself as Abbotsford’s starting goaltender

He wrapped up the year with a solid record of 26-12-5, with a .909 save percentage, a 2.44 goals-against average, four shutouts and finished fourth in the AHL in wins. More importantly, he stepped up to play NHL games, where he looked comfortable and held a .908% save percentage with a 3-2-0 record through five starts.

To cap it all off, he delivered an exceptional performance at the World Championships, going 7-3-0 to lead Latvia to their first-ever Bronze Medal. He took home the tournament’s MVP, to boot.

All was well in Arturs Silovs’ world.

This year, however, hasn’t been quite as glowing. Playing behind a team plagued with numerous injuries all season long, the 22-year-old has experienced stretches of highs and lows throughout the year.

 

Recently, he has faced competition for the starting role from the newly signed 23-year-old, Nikita Tolpilo. While Silovs’ record of 15-11-6 and a .907 save percentage are respectable, his overall performance hasn’t exuded the same confidence as it did just one year ago.

Winning just five of 14 games in the year 2024, there is room for improvement, no doubt.

Silovs has struggled with long-distance shots in the past, and so far this season, that continues to be an evident area in need of fine-tuning. He tends to make huge saves on tough shots but allows squeaky shots past him at inopportune times.

It’s not that he has been poor, just inconsistent.

Luckily, with a lengthy, athletic foundation, and with goaltending guru Ian Clarke at the helm, you simply never count out a goalie in this organization.

All this to say, we don’t expect his downswing to continue for long. With continued guidance and development as a young netminder, he’s got ample time to adjust his game and work out its kinks.

Ceiling: NHL starter. Considering the solid foundation, including his size, athleticism, and the guidance of goalie coach Ian Clarke, he has the potential to rise through the ranks and carve out a career as a dependable NHL goaltender.

Floor: AHL Stater/Fringe NHL’er. With his skill set and experience, he could serve as a reliable call-up option for the organization and potentially fill in as a backup goaltender when needed. At the very least, he is an everyday AHL starter.

ETA: Even with Tolopilo knocking on the door, we have no doubts that he will pick things up and challenge for next year’s backup role in Vancouver. It may be a battle between the two, but given the organization’s trust in his ability, he will be given all the rope to earn that spot. Given Casey DeSmith’s strong performance as a backup goaltender, there is a good chance that he may have played himself out of a role in Vancouver, in which case, it could be Arty-Party time in Vancouver. Of course, with an expiring deal himself, he’ll need to ink a deal first.

Position: Forward
Handedness: Right
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 205-pounds

It’s understandable if you’re wondering whether Danila Klimovich has been all season. To put it bluntly, this year has been a write-off.

With that said, we know what we saw last year, so when he’s fully healthy and confident, his upside still carries weight as a U23 prospect.

As a sophomore, the Belorussian had a strong year, tallying 17 goals and 12 assists in 67 games. He also took some solid strides in his defensive game, leading the entire Abbotsford group with a plus-15 plus/minus rating.

This year, however, has sung a much different tune.

But context is crucial.

At the onset of the season, Klimovich faced several injuries that hindered his availability. While he did experience some healthy scratches, a good portion of his absences can be attributed to injuries.

It’s a season where he simply can’t catch a break, and as we have seen on so many occasions, confidence is one heck of a drug. It’s nearly impossible trying to find any while battling injuries, healthy scratches, and limited ice time on the fourth line.

Despite the challenges, there have been glimpses of Klimovich’s potential, reminiscent of the breakout we saw last year. Many of these moments came to fruition when he was finally awarded opportunities on the power play to utilize his powerful shot, which was not the case early in the year.

Even Jeremy Colliton has admitted to his recent up in play, despite the challenges he has faced.

“Yeah he’s getting more opportunity, part of it is we’re missing some players, and that’s what you need sometimes to get in,” Colliton told Postmedia in early February.

“It’s what you do with it. What do you do with the opportunity? We’ve had some games recently where you can see more determination and a commitment to detail, and it’s nice to see him rewarded for that with a couple of goals,” said Colliton.

“Having said that, it’s not about the goals. That’s not going to determine whether he plays or not. “He’s getting an opportunity right now, and it’s up to him to make the best of it.”

When Klimovich is playing to his potential, he’s utilizing his powerful shot, playing with high energy, crashing the net, and getting under the skin of his opponents. However, when things aren’t going well, he appears disinterested, lacks confidence, and seems nearly invisible on the ice this season.

Ranking Danila Klimovich sixth amid his struggles this year is tough, but at only 21 years old, there’s still time for him to rebound and fulfill his potential as a promising prospect. It’s a “check back next year” situation, for now, hoping for a turnaround in his performance.

Ceiling: In a troubling down year, it’s hard to see the potential, but based on what we saw last year, there is still a top-nine player if everything goes according to plan. Now, do we expect it to play out that way? Probably not. However, with a knack for scoring goals, and a high motor, there is still a shot at carving out a spot as an NHL producer. Remember, this is pure upside.

Floor: AHL middle-six. As long as he can manage his emotions and attitude, there is still a day-to-day pro hockey player here. He has a heavy shot and as we saw last year, he knows how to use it.

ETA: The road ahead appears to be a long one for Klimovich. Ideally, spending a year or two in the junior ranks could have greatly benefited his development. Nevertheless, here we are, and he’ll need to adjust to the pro level. We hope that he can earn Colliton’s trust, carve out a top-six spot next year, and get his career back on track in time to compete for a consistent role throughout the 2025-26 season.

Honourable mentions–Ty Mueller, Vilmer Alriksson, Aku Koskenvuo, Josh Bloom, and Jackson Dorrington.
# 10–Cole McWard
# 9–Lucas Forsell
#8–Sawyer Mynio
#7–Kirill Kudryavtsev