According to a new report out of Latvia, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs and forward Teddy Blueger have both agreed to play for the Latvian national team in the 2026 Winter Olympics qualifiers later this month.
Latvian Public Media reported Monday that every Latvian-born NHL player has agreed to represent their country at the qualifiers, which will be held in Latvia from August 29 to September 1.
Silovs is expected to partner up with Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins between the pipes for Team Latvia. Although Merzlikins is the more established NHLer of the two, Silovs’ international track record includes his fantastic bronze medal-winning performance at the 2023 IIHF World Championship.
In addition to Blueger, only two other Latvian skaters played NHL games during the 2023-24 regular season: Florida Panthers defenceman Uvis Balinskis and Buffalo Sabres centre Zemgus Girgensons (now of the Tampa Bay Lightning).
Blueger, 29, collected a career-high 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) in 68 games with the Canucks in the 2023-24 regular season, adding two assists in 13 playoff games. He re-signed with the Canucks on June 26 for two years at a $1.8 million cap hit.
Silovs, 23, recently spoke to Latvian outlet Sporta Centrs to discuss his experience as a free agent this offseason and how he plans to handle the upcoming Olympic qualifiers.
“There will be good support, and we need to make Latvia happy,” Silovs said (translated from Latvian). “Every day is a new day. Go one step at a time, work, and then everything will come. I don’t think too much about the future.
“I didn’t really see Paris. I don’t watch the Summer Olympics too much. More in the head is the Winter Olympics from the time when all the NHL players were there. I remember 2014, I remember 2010 in Vancouver. Now it will be possible to meet again the best against the best. To win a place in the Olympic Games – we have to do a lot of work, win the tournament at home.”
Although he only appeared in four games with the Canucks during the 2023-24 regular season, Silovs’ performance in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs was enough to convince the Canucks to give him a one-way contract for 2024-25 and all but pencil him in as Thatcher Demko’s new backup goalie.
Silovs went 5-5 with one shutout and an .898 save percentage in 10 games against the Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 playoffs, taking over after both Demko and Casey DeSmith were sidelined with injuries. The 2019 sixth-round pick is now under contract through 2026 at an $850,000 NHL cap hit.
