Vancouver Canucks fans have mixed reactions to Šilovs trade
Vancouver Canucks fans are not sure how to react after the team traded Artūrs Šilovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins over the weekend.
Following an outstanding AHL run that ended with a championship and playoff MVP honours, the Canucks decided to move on from the 24-year-old goaltender. In exchange, Vancouver acquired 22-year-old forward Chase Stillman and a 2027 fourth-round pick.
The move made some sense for the Canucks. Both Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen are locked in as the NHL tandem for the next several seasons, meaning that Šilovs’ path to a full-time gig on the Canucks is unlikely. He will get ample opportunity to prove his worth on a rebuilding Penguins squad.
Still, the move was controversial among the Vancouver fanbase. Some fans were very unhappy to see the team trade an up-and-coming goalie for a rather underwhelming return.
So Pittsburgh gets the player with legitimate upside potential, and we get a mid-round lottery ticket in two years.
All this so we could give career backup Kevin Lankinen a 5 year, $22.5M contract?
— Jack (@JRLV_Inc) July 13, 2025
Weak return.
— Live And Inspired (@MapleMAGA13) July 13, 2025
Stillman doesn’t even put up points in the AHL 🤣 he’s barely a 4th liner there. Launch him to Kalamazoo in a cannon
— Demko’s kneebones 🇨🇦 (@BluelineBardown) July 13, 2025
Woah. Wasn’t expecting that.
Alvin got hosed on that deal.
— dolemitedawiz (@NoFilterGames) July 13, 2025
Why wait for a decent trade when you can trade with Pittsburg again and get dog shit in return.
— Aaron Stratton (@aaronstratton8) July 13, 2025
Makes the Demko signing even stupider ..
Absolutely incompetent asset management
Just a brutal month for this joke of a front office .
— Donnybrook (@DTSports77) July 13, 2025
Man that is not a great return. pic.twitter.com/3dtTAPwlF3
— Infokid (@Infokid1Infokid) July 13, 2025
That return for an AHL playoff MVP is kinda underwhelming…
— The Governator (@da_Governator) July 13, 2025
The reactions weren’t all bad. While there was still some sadness that Šilovs would no longer be a part of the Canucks organization moving forward, a section of the fanbase thought this was a necessary move.
After all, Šilovs is no longer waiver exempt and would almost certainly be plucked off waivers at the first opportunity next season. Trading him for assets in return is better than losing him for nothing on the waiver wire.
Demko and Lanky are one of the best duos in the NHL. Arty was inconsistent at the NHL level but his recent performance in the AHL makes this tough. I believe we made the right move though
— Hazey (@hazeykthx) July 13, 2025
Rip Arty💔but this was the right move instead of losing him for nothing
— Jacob (@HughesEnjoyer) July 13, 2025
Silvos earned his shot to play in the NHL good on the Canucks for giving him an opportunity to do that
— Vett (@RVetts) July 13, 2025
Gonna miss Arty Party! But this had to happen. We would’ve lost him for nothing
— Sarjak Desai (@sarjakd) July 13, 2025
Everyone complaining about the deal doesn’t know puck. Good trade for Vancouver to get something rather than losing him for nothing.
— Austin (@Austin_Baril99) July 13, 2025
for fans crying about the return this was one of the best possible outcomes. canucks get a mid round pick plus a prospect for a goalie that was gonna be gone for nothing, and arty gets a chance to play for an nhl spot on a team with a bare goalie cabinet
— Bill Wowley (@BillWowley) July 13, 2025
I like this trade for Vancouver. Silovs obviously had a great run with Abbotsford this year culminating in an AHL playoff MVP award, but the jury is still out on what he can consistently do at the NHL level. Meanwhile, Stillman is a former first round pick with a lot of upside.
— Steve Myrdal (@Stevovan) July 13, 2025
With Demko and Lankinen locked in as the NHL tandem, there will be some changes with the Abbotsford Canucks goalie situation. The AHL starter job will likely be a battle between Nikita Tolopilo and Jiri Patera.