New Penguins goaltender has chance to prove himself in training camp

Things haven’t looked good for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the last few seasons. Changes needed to be made, which started with the organization letting Mike Sullivan go as head coach. More might need to be done, however.

New coach Dan Muse is getting tough about the changes coming to his team. One of them could be who the face of the Penguins is defensively. Tristan Jarry and Joel Blomqvist return for the Penguins, but this training camp might be the perfect opportunity for 24-year-old Arturs Silovs to make a case as the Penguins’ top goalie.

The Penguins made the move for Silovs in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks back in July. Pittsburgh received Silovs while trading right winger Chase Stillman and a fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.

There is reason for optimism regarding Pittsburgh Penguins' Arturs Silovs

There is a lot of optimism for Silovs despite only playing a handful of NHL games in the last three seasons for the Canucks. He has played 19 games for Vancouver, starting in 18 of them. During that time, he has an 8-8 record, allowed 57 goals on 474 shot attempts for a save percentage of .880%. Silovs has registered 1,091 minutes on the ice in the NHL.

Silovs has been developing in the AHL since the 2020-2021 season while still getting his feet wet. He has developed during his time with the Abbotsford Canucks, but last season was his breakout performance. In 21 games played for Abbotsford, Silovs recorded a save percentage of .908% during the regular season.

It was in the postseason where Silovs really shined. Silovs was the league’s best player as he helped lead the Abbotsford Canucks to the Calder Cup championship. In the 24 games played, Silovs accounted for a save percentage of .931% and was the MVP of the AHL Playoffs.

This training camp is Silovs’ best chance to not only maintain a permanent spot on an NHL roster but become the go-to goaltender for the team. Last season, the Penguins had the fourth-worst scoring defense in the league, allowing an average of 3.50 goals per game. A significant portion of the problems stemmed from Sullivan’s lack of drive for the team defensively.

Jarry and Blomqvist also had numerous problems with consistency throughout the season. Jarry finished the season with a save percentage of .893, the lowest he has accounted for since the 2018-2019 season. Blomqvist didn’t fare much better as he accounted for a save percentage of .885.

Silovs is fresh blood for a team looking to move from their old, bad habits and attributes. He has the confidence and the youth to be productive with the Penguins, but he lacks the professional experience. He will need to show he comes in day in and day out and be alert and efficient at the goal. 

Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has shown confidence in the young goalie; it is up to Silovs. He could be one of the top two goalies for the Penguins entering the upcoming season.