The Vancouver Canucks have signed restricted free agent goaltender Arturs Silovs to a two-year contract extension, the club announced Tuesday morning.
Silovs, 23, went 3-0-1 with an .881 save percentage in four games with the Canucks during the 2023-24 regular season. He proceeded to take the reins for the team in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs after Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith suffered injuries, posting a 5-5 record with an .898 save percentage and one shutout in 10 games against the Nashville Predators and Edmonton Oilers.
According to Daily Faceoff hockey insider Frank Seravalli, Silovs’ new contract with the Canucks carries an $850,000 NHL cap hit. He’ll be eligible to become an RFA with arbitration rights once his new deal expires in 2026.
“Artūrs helped us out a lot when called upon last year as he continues to grow and develop as a goalie,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement on Tuesday. “We expect him to come into training camp and battle for a full-time position with the big club. Our group will continue to work with him to help sharpen his skills and provide him with all the tools necessary to take another step forward in his young career.”
The Canucks originally selected Silovs in the sixth round (No. 156 overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft. The Riga, Latvia product joined the OHL’s Barrie Colts for his first post-draft season before turning pro in the Canucks organization.
Silovs made his first five NHL appearances with the Canucks during the 2022-23 regular season, posting a 3-2-0 record and a .908 save percentage. To date, the 6’4″ goaltender has played in more NHL games during the playoffs than in the regular season in his career.
With DeSmith no longer in the organization, Silovs figures to start the 2024-25 season as Demko’s backup in Vancouver. The Canucks also signed former Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Jiri Patera this summer to foster more competition at the position.