The Vancouver Canucks are in a complicated situation this off-season. With Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen signed for the next four seasons, all signs point to Artūrs Šilovs being the odd man out next season. With Šilovs no longer waiver-exempt, the most likely outcome is that the Latvian goaltender will be traded this off-season so that the organization can get an asset back rather than lose him for nothing. Šilovs is coming off a season to remember. He led the Abbotsford Canucks [http://thn.com/ahl] to a Calder Cup Championship and was named Playoffs MVP [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/canucks-arturs-silovs-named-ahl-playoffs-mvp] after posting a save percentage of .931 over the 24 games. He was also named to Latvia's Olympic Team [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/canucks-blueger-silovs-named-to-latvia-s-2026-winter-olympic-games-preliminary-roster], where he will be joined by current Canucks teammate Teddy Blueger. Trading young goaltenders is complicated, as it is challenging to determine their trade value accurately. For example, Cayden Primeau was recently dealt from the Montréal Canadiens [http://thn.com/montreal] to the Carolina Hurricanes [http://thn.com/carolina] for a seventh-round pick, while the Florida Panthers [http://thn.com/florida] acquired Daniil Tarasov from the Columbus Blue Jackets [http://thn.com/columbus] for a fifth-round pick. Both these goaltenders are around the same age as Šilovs and, like the 24-year-old, will be pushing for a spot on an NHL roster next season. Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/]: “It’s A Huge Part Of My Game Now”: Canucks’ 2025 Draft Pick Aleksei Medvedev Details His Play Style And Goals For 2025–26 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/it-s-a-huge-part-of-my-game-now-canucks-2025-draft-pick-aleksei-medvedev-details-his-play-style-and-goals-for-2025-26] Abbotsford Canucks 2025 Free Agency Tracker [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/abbotsford-canucks-2025-free-agency-tracker] "Try To Be A Leader And Try To Set The Tone For The Other Guys Here": Aiden Celebrini Discusses His Third Vancouver Canucks Development Camp [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/players/try-to-be-a-leader-and-try-to-set-the-tone-for-the-other-guys-here-aiden-celebrini-discusses-his-third-vancouver-canucks-development-camp] Using Primeau and Tarasov as examples, the most likely return in a Šilovs trade would be either a fourth or fifth-round pick. Finding a trade partner will also be challenging, as most teams either have a solid pair locked in for next season or have young goaltenders in their system vying for a job. In the end, the teams that could be in on Šilovs based on their current rosters are the Edmonton Oilers [http://thn.com/edmonton], the Pittsburgh Penguins [http://thn.com/pittsburgh] and the Tampa Bay Lightning [http://thn.com/tampabay]. With Vancouver's current roster and cap constraints, keeping Šilovs is not a luxury they can afford. They can't afford to place him on waivers as he will be claimed, and they don't have enough room to carry him as a third goaltender if they want to improve their center depth this off-season. While it is not an ideal situation, moving Šilovs and recouping a draft pick appears to be the best option for the Canucks. Nov 27, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs (31) stretches on the ice to warm up against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/632e34ea-e37c-47dc-8cb8-07071cae24f4.jpeg] Nov 27, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Vancouver Canucks goaltender Arturs Silovs (31) stretches on the ice to warm up against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwr-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. The Hockey News [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/f0773cc4-0c94-471f-b5e3-641826b8e146.webp] The Hockey News
