Prospect Info: 156th overall: Vancouver selects Arturs Silovs (Goalie, Latvia ---> Barrie Colts)

[Hit the post]

I can genuinely say that I did have a vision of Silovs playing for the Canucks in these playoffs. He played well for us down the stretch, and I wasn't fully convinced of Demko's recovery.

Though, to be fair I'm a goalie guy and I go into every postseason hoping for the next Ken Dryden, Patrick Roy, Cam Ward...

 

[Zippgunn]

Fun fact: Silovs now has played more playoff games (and has more playoff wins) than Demko. Who knew?

 

[VanJack]

Still shocking to me how little respect the Oilers have for Silovs. He's handing them an 'empty lunch baq' in every game, yet all Drasaitl can talk about is the posts they hit behind him.

If there's any such thing as 'hockey justice', Silovs will continue to clean their clocks right to the bitter end of this series.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Still shocking to me how little respect the Oilers have for Silovs. He's handing them an 'empty lunch baq' in every game, yet all Drasaitl can talk about is the posts they hit behind him.

If there's any such thing as 'hockey justice', Silovs will continue to clean their clocks right to the bitter end of this series.

They can not respect him all they want so long as we keep winning.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I think his last two games have been his best yet. Man has he ever risen to the occasion for us.

 

[vancityluongo]

I think his last two games have been his best yet. Man has he ever risen to the occasion for us.

silovs was phenomenal yesterday. having the balls to beat kane out for that puck is exactly the kind of insanity you want to see from your goalie.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

silovs was phenomenal yesterday. having the balls to beat kane out for that puck is exactly the kind of insanity you want to see from your goalie.

John Garrett broke that play down really nicely on Donnie and Dhali. Immediately got his edges, shoulder checked, and headed back to the net. Didn’t just slide completely out of position in desperation to make the play. Very heady stuff.

 

[VanJack]

I simply haven't watched Silovs enough in Abbotsford or the few games he's played for the Canucks to know....and I'm no goalie expert. But is this who he is? Or is he just one of those 'zones' that goalies get into at times?

I mean some of the saves he's pulling off are of the stunning variety. He just never give up an a shot and he's like a dog on a bone when the puck is in the crease. And the Canucks would be teetering on brink of elimination right now but of his brilliance in the crease.

But is this level of play we might expect from him from now on, or does he come crashing back to earth next season?

 

[mathonwy]

silovs was phenomenal yesterday. having the balls to beat kane out for that puck is exactly the kind of insanity you want to see from your goalie.

That's some champ level shit.

 

[LordBacon]

Counting chickens before they hatch here but hear me out.
5th round pick turning into potential nhl starter is f***ing insane.

 

[VanJack]

Bruce Boudreau was just on with Donnie and Dhali, and said that all the time he coached the Canucks, Clark used to rave about Silovs.

His opinion never changed despite being buried on the Canucks depth chart and actually toiling in the ECHL for a 10-game stretch.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Counting chickens before they hatch here but hear me out.
5th round pick turning into potential nhl starter is f***ing insane.

I always like the strategy of drafting a goalie in the mid round every few years. You get many duds but can sometimes end up getting a 2 elite goaltenders like Nashville did.

2004 8th round pick Pekka Rinne
2013 4th round pick Juuse Saros

 

[sandwichbird2023]

I always like the strategy of drafting a goalie in the mid round every few years. You get many duds but can sometimes end up getting a 2 elite goaltenders like Nashville did.

2004 8th round pick Pekka Rinne
2013 4th round pick Juuse Saros

And you only need one hit in 8-10 drafts. There are only 2 goalies per team, once you have a starter, you are good in that position for a long time.

Look at the Rangers, Lundqvist was drafted in the 7th round in 2000, he had a 15 years NHL career and roughly 14 as a starter. After he retired in 2020, he was almost immediately replaced by Shesterkin, who was drafted in the 4th round in 2014. He should also have a long career as an elite starter in the NHL. The Rangers basically have almost 30 years of elite goaltending just by having 2 home runs drafting goalies in the mid to late rounds.

With one of the best goalie coach in Clark, we should be able to replicate the Rangers model. Maybe we won't get the HHOFers like Lundqvist or super-elites like Shesterkin, but a top 10 starting goalies from mid-late picks should absolutely be doable if we just take one of them each draft.

 

[Bertuzzzi44]

The future goalie of this franchise!

 

[VanJack]

It occurs to me that one of the biggest problems NHL teams have in drafting goalies is that they don't seem to have any criterion in their minds for what makes a good NHL goaltender.

And watching kids face the caliber of shots they're facing in junior hockey or overseas, really provides no clue as to what they might become on North American ice. It's almost 'trial and error'.

But the Canucks, under Clark's guidance, the Canucks usually take a goalie in every draft. And they have a firm idea of what they're looking for. And of course it's a kid with good size and basic athleticism. Then Clark sets to work to completely re-make their games. And if they put in the work, they come out at other end completely transformed.

And it isn't guys like Demko and Silovs. He also worked wonders for veterans like Spencer Martin and Colin Delia, and even to some extent Casey DeSmith this year, who are still productive pro hockey goalies, thanks to their work with Clark.

So the Canucks have Silovs, Tolopilo, Koskenuvo and Ty Young in the goalie pipeline. It'll be fascinating to follow their career paths.

 

[StreetHawk]

Was Clark not around in 2017 when they took DiPietro who is a smaller guy than the mold they normally go with?

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Was Clark not around in 2017 when they took DiPietro who is a smaller guy than the mold they normally go with?

Correct, he was brought back in July of 2018.

Canucks hire Ian Clark as goaltending coach, shuffle Dan Cloutier, Doug Jarvis

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[VanJack]

Was Clark not around in 2017 when they took DiPietro who is a smaller guy than the mold they normally go with?

I think Clark sees young goalies as 'blank canvasses'. Usually he starts with size and athleticism and goes from there.

So DPietro was definitely an 'off the board' pick for the Canucks. But he had a stellar junior career and was Team Canada's goalie in the World Jr. Hockey Championships.

But I'm not sure he could ever adapt to the way Clark wants his goaltenders to play. And a couple of years in the minors seemed to confirm this. And he's still in the minors in the Boston system.

 

[Northerner]

He is the #1 for the great nation of Latvia going forward if the last month by this 23 yo is any indication.

 

[archangel2]

we now have a 3 headed monster

 

[ginner classic]

I think Clark sees young goalies as 'blank canvasses'. Usually he starts with size and athleticism and goes from there.

So DPietro was definitely an 'off the board' pick for the Canucks. But he had a stellar junior career and was Team Canada's goalie in the World Jr. Hockey Championships.

But I'm not sure he could ever adapt to the way Clark wants his goaltenders to play. And a couple of years in the minors seemed to confirm this. And he's still in the minors in the Boston system.

DiPietro went around or after where he was projected if you meant off the board relative to ranking. If you mean off the board relative to style, absolutely agree. Not a Clark style goalie.