This afternoon in Vancouver, all eyes will be on No. 87 as the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Canucks in a matinee matchup. But if you’re in Rogers Arena, don’t be surprised if the loudest cheers aren’t for Sidney Crosby. Instead, they might just be for a familiar face in net - Arturs Silovs.
The 24-year-old Latvian goaltender is back in Vancouver for the first time since being traded, and while he’s now wearing black and gold, he’ll always have a place in the hearts of Canucks fans. Silovs’ journey with the organization was anything but conventional - and that’s exactly what made it so memorable.
Drafted in the sixth round back in 2019, Silovs was a long-term project from the start. He got his first NHL taste with a single appearance in the 2020-21 season, then split time between the AHL and ECHL the following year.
But his real breakout moment came in February 2023, when he made his NHL debut against the New York Rangers. At just 21, he became the fourth-youngest goalie to ever start a game for the Canucks.
Still, it wasn’t until the 2024 playoffs that Silovs truly made his mark.
When Thatcher Demko went down after Game 1 of the first-round series against Nashville, and Casey DeSmith was sidelined after Game 2, the crease suddenly belonged to Silovs. And he didn’t blink.
He stopped 27 of 30 shots in his playoff debut and never looked back. Then-head coach Rick Tocchet rode the hot hand, giving Silovs the net for the rest of the postseason.
Ask him about the memories, and Silovs doesn’t hesitate. After practice at UBC on Saturday, he pointed to two moments that stood out: clinching the division with a win over Vegas, and then backstopping the Canucks to a first-round playoff series victory.
“That was an incredible feeling,” he said. “Managing to win the series was a really great memory to have.”
Demko’s injury lingered into the start of the 2024-25 season, opening the door once again for Silovs. But this time, the opportunity didn’t stick. After a few early stumbles and with Kevin Lankinen grabbing the reins, Silovs found himself back in the AHL with Abbotsford - not as a demotion, but as a place to play meaningful minutes.
And play he did.
Despite being limited to just 21 starts due to the Canucks’ fluctuating goaltending situation, Silovs put up a strong 14-5-1 record with a 2.41 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. But it was in the postseason where he turned heads and etched his name into franchise lore.
Silovs led Abbotsford to a Calder Cup Championship, finishing the playoff run with a 16-7 record, a sparkling 2.01 GAA, and a .931 save percentage. He recorded shutouts in each of the first three series-clinching games - a stat that speaks volumes about his ability to rise in the biggest moments. Unsurprisingly, he was named Calder Cup MVP, a fitting capstone to a dominant run.
Earlier this week, the Abbotsford squad finally received their championship rings. For Silovs, the timing couldn’t have been better, coinciding with his return to Vancouver.
“Yeah, it was great,” he said. “Met with RJ [Ryan Johnson], had a little chat; really nice to have it.
Great experience with the team back then. Just remembering how we battled all the way, every single game to get there.
It’s for sure a memory for life.”
That Calder Cup run didn’t just earn him hardware - it proved he was ready for the next level. But with Demko and Lankinen both freshly extended, there simply wasn’t room for him in Vancouver. The Canucks made a move that was as much about doing right by the player as it was about asset management, sending Silovs to the Penguins in exchange for prospect Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
And Silovs wasted no time making an impression in Pittsburgh.
In his Penguins debut - fittingly against the Rangers, the team he faced in his first NHL start - Silovs posted a 25-save shutout, blanking his former teammate JT Miller in the process. That performance set the tone for a solid first season with his new club. Now midway through the year, he’s established himself as part of a goaltending tandem with Stuart Skinner - the same Skinner he went toe-to-toe with in the second round of last year’s playoffs.
Through 23 appearances, Silovs holds a 9-6-8 record with a 3.00 GAA and a .894 save percentage. The numbers suggest a work in progress, but the foundation is clearly there - and more importantly, the confidence is, too.
“Confidence, consistency of how many games you play in a row,” Silovs said when asked what he’s carried over from last season’s playoff run. “Getting in the flow of it all.
Playoff hockey is the most difficult one to play, emotionally and body-wise. So I think just battling it through and gaining experience - that helps in the future.”
As for today’s game, the Penguins haven’t confirmed who’s getting the start. They held Skinner out in his return to Edmonton, so it’s possible they do the same for Silovs in Vancouver - a move that would make sense given the emotions tied to this building and this fanbase.
Still, whether he’s between the pipes or backing up, Silovs is expecting a warm reception. When asked about the possibility of hearing the old “Arty Party” chant echo through Rogers Arena, he smiled. “Yeah, probably, I would assume they would.”
And why wouldn’t they?
Silovs may be wearing a different jersey now, but what he gave to the Canucks - from stepping up in the playoffs, to leading Abbotsford to a title - left a lasting mark. For a sixth-round pick who started as a long-term project, he’s turned into a player who commands respect at the NHL level.
“I feel good,” Silovs said. “There’s going to be a lot of energy there.
It’s a great building, and fans are really passionate about hockey. It’s going to be a fun game.”
No matter who starts in net this afternoon, one thing’s for sure: Vancouver hasn’t forgotten Arturs Silovs. And today, they’ll get the chance to show him just how much he meant - and still means - to this hockey city.