Canucks trade Arturs Silovs to Penguins for Chase Stillman and 2027 fourth-round pick

It became apparent that the Canucks likely had to part ways with Silovs after his heroic efforts en route to Abbotsford’s Calder Cup Championship. The Latvian netminder finished the postseason run with a 16-7 record, with a 2.01 goals against average and a .931 save percentage, with five shutouts. Three of his perfect games came in some of the biggest moments: Game 3 against the Tucson Roadrunners (elimination game), Game 4 against the Coachella Valley Firebirds (elimination game), and Game 5 against the Colorado Eagles (elimination game).

But none of his playoff success should come as a surprise, considering what he did to help Vancouver last spring.

With an injured Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith, Silovs stepped in and did not disappoint. The 6’4″ goaltender won his first NHL postseason start against the Nashville Predators in Game 4, and followed that up with a 28-save shutout performance in Game 6 to advance the Canucks to the second round.

General Manager Patrik Allvin had this to say about Silovs after the move:

“We would like thank Artūrs for everything he has done for the hockey club, including helping Abbotsford win the Calder Cup,” said Allvin. “We wanted to give him an opportunity elsewhere as we feel we are very well positioned in goal at the NHL, AHL and developmental level. Acquiring a future pick and depth forward will add to our organizational depth.”

Chase Stillman, brother of former Canuck Ryan Stillman, is a 2021 first-round pick of the New Jersey Devils. The right-winger played for the Peterborough Pete’s in the Ontario Hockey League, making his biggest impact in his final season there in 2022-2023. Stillman scored 19 goals and 48 points in 59 games. He also added four goals and 13 points in 21 postseason games. With Stillman’s help, the Pete’s went on to win the OHL and represent the league in the Memorial Cup.

The 22-year-old forward has not yet blossomed in the American League. Through his two seasons, Stillman has played 119 games, scoring 18 goals and 36 points. Last season was exceptionally difficult, where he split the season between the Utica Comets and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, scoring just four goals and 12 points in 65 games.