"Not just be a guy who sits in the weeds'': NHL analyst rates Vancouver Canucks goalie tandem of Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs 

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Jul 17, 2024 06:36 GMT

TSN hockey analyst Frankie Corrado provided insights on the Vancouver Canucks' goalie tandem of Thatcher Demkos and Arturs Silovs.

The Canucks on Tuesday announced the signing of Silovs for another two years with an AAV of $850,000. Silovs played a crucial role in the playoffs, stepping up when Casey DeSmith got injured.

Not only did he guide the Canucks to their first playoff series win since 2020, but also earned the starting position in the second round against the Edmonton Oilers.

With DeSmith moving on to the Dallas Stars in free agency, Arturs Silovs is now poised to take on the role of backing up Thatcher Demko for the Vancouver Canucks.

Joining Jay Onrait on SportsCenter, Corrado noted that while having Demko as the starting goalie automatically boosts the duo's standing, Silovs remains somewhat unproven in the regular season despite his solid post-season performance:

"I'm not going to say that it's a top three or a top five tandem in the NHL. Just by default, having Thatcher Demko as your starting goaltender, you're going to be considered one of the best goaltending duos. But Arturs Silovs is still a relative unknown when it comes to what he can do over the course of a regular season," Corrado said.

"He only played four regular season games for the Canucks last year. Most of the regular season for him was spent in the American Hockey League. He did play well in the postseason when called upon, and that's great, but now it's different," he added.

A key challenge Corrado highlighted was the need to manage Demko's workload effectively to ensure his availability for crucial playoff games:

"One of the big things that the Canucks are going to have to deal with this year is finding a way to maybe limit the workload of Thatcher Demko so that when playoffs come around, this guy's actually available for you. He can be so good, he can steal you games, he can steal you a series, but he's not available to do so," Corrado continued.

"So Arturs Silovs is going to have a significant amount of responsibility this season, not just to be a backup, not just to be a guy who sits in the weeds, but to be a guy who actually contributes," he concluded.

If both goalies perform well, Corrado believes the Demko-Silovs goalie tandem could be considered among the best in the league.

Vancouver Canucks GM was highly impressed with Silovs' performance

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Edmonton Oilers at Vancouver Canucks - Silovs (L) (IMAGN)

Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrick Allvin expressed great admiration for Silovs' performance last season, emphasizing the significant contribution he made to the team.

Allvin expects Silovs to enter training camp ready to compete for his starting position in the net next season (via NHL.com):

"Arturs helped us out a lot when called upon last year as he continues to grow and develop as a goalie," Allvin said. "We expect him to come into training camp and battle for a full-time position with the big club."

Silovs concluded the playoffs last season with five wins and as many losses, posting a 2.91 goals-against average and an SV% of .898. Before the playoffs, he played in four games for the Canucks during the regular season, winning three of them.